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LIFE  AFTER  DEATH 


SWEDENBORG 


ilifornia 

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_, 


LIFE  AFTER  DEATH 


THE   NEW-CHURCH   PRESS 
NEW  YORK 


PRINTED  IN 
THE  UNITED  STATES  OF  AMERICA 


PREFATORY   NOTE 

little  brochure  is  compiled  from  Emanuel 
Swedenborg's  great  work  entitled  "Heaven  and  Its 
Wonders  and  Hell." 

The  compilation  was  started  to  help  an  invalid 
recognize  more  easily  the  truths  about  the  other  World 
which  Swedenborg  so  clearly  sets  forth.  It  is  now 
presented  in  permanent  form,  believing  that  those  to 
whom  these  truths  are  familiar  will  love  them  even 
better  on  seeing  them  here,  and  that  others  to  whom 
they  are  new  may  wish  to  learn  more  about  the  larger 
work.  The  translation  is  that  of  John  Curtis  Ager  as 
published  by  the  American  Swedenborg  Printing  & 
Publishing  Society.  Those  portions  have  been  se- 
lected which  the  average  reader  will  find  responding 
to  his  many  questions  concerning  life  after  the  death 
of  the  body.  Of  the  larger  work  the  Translator  makes 
this  comment: 

"It  might  be  inferred  from  the  title  of  this 
work  that  it  deals  simply  with  the  phenomena  of 
the  spiritual  world  and  its  three  distinct  regions. 
But  it  will  be  seen  that  in  its  deeper  meaning  and 
purpose  it  sets  forth  the  true  relations  and  the  dis- 
ordered relations  between  man  and  man,  or  the 
heavenly  life  and  the  infernal  life  as  exhibited  in 
human  experience  everywhere." 

The  numerals  at  the  close  of  each  paragraph  indicate 
the  paragraph  numbers  of  the  larger  work. 

E.  A.  H. 
[iii] 


TABLE   OF   CONTENTS 

PACK 

The  resuscitation  of  man  from  the  dead  and  his  entrance 
into  eternal  life  9 

Man  after  death  is  in  a  complete  human  form 10 

After  death  man  is  possessed  of  every  sense,  and  of  all  the 
memory,  thought,  and  affection,  that  he  had  in  the  world, 
leaving  nothing  behind  except  his  earthly  body  12 

Man  after  death  is  such  as  his  life  had  been  in  the  world..  16 

What  the  world  of  spirits  is    1& 

The  first  state  of  man  after  death  20 

The  second  state  of  man  after  death  22 

Third  state  of  man  after  death,  which  is  a  state  of  instruc- 
tion for  those  who  enter  heaven  25 

It  is  not  so  difficult  to  live  the  life  that  leads  to  heaven  as 
some  believe  26 

No  one  is  cast  into  hell  by  the  Lord;  this  is  done  by  the 
spirit  himself  29 

The  love  of  self  and  of  the  world  30 

It  is  the  Divine  of  the  Lord  that  makes  heaven 33 

In  heaven  the  Divine  of  the  Lord  is  love  to  him  and  charity 
towards  the  neighbor  34 

Representatives  and  appearances  in  heaven 38 

The  garments  with  which  angels  appear  clothed 39 

The  places  of  abode  and  dwellings  of  angels 41 

The  speech  of  angels  43- 

[    v] 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Divine  worship  in  heaven  44 

The  employment  of  angels  in  heaven  45 

The  rich  and  the  poor  in  heaven  47 

The  wise  and  the  simple  in  heaven 51 

The  immensity  of  heaven  52 

Little  children  in  heaven   53 

Heavenly  joy  and  happiness  56 

Marriages  in  heaven  59 

Light  in  heaven  62 

Space  in  heaven 63 


[vi] 


LIFE   AFTER   DEATH 


LIFE  AFTER  DEATH 


it  might  be  made  clear  that  man  lives  after 
death  and  enters  in  accordance  with  his  life  in 
the  world  either  heaven  or  hell,  many  things  have 
been  disclosed  to  me  about  the  state  of  man  after 
death,  which  will  be  presented  in  due  order  in  the 
following  pages  (317). 


THE  RESUSCITATION  OF  MAN  FROM  THE 

DEAD  AND  HIS  ENTRANCE  INTO 

ETERNAL  LIFE 

TX7HEN  the  body  is  no  longer  able  to  perform 
*  *  the  bodily  functions  in  the  natural  world  that 
correspond  to  the  spirit's  thoughts  and  affections, 
which  the  spirit  has  from  the  spiritual  world,  man  is 
said  to  die.  This  takes  place  when  the  respiration  of 
the  lungs  and  the  beatings  of  the  heart  cease.  But  the 
man  does  not  die ;  he  is  merely  separated  from  the  bod- 
ily part  that  was  of  use  to  him  in  the  world,  while 
the  man  himself  continues  to  live.  It  is  said  that  the 
man  himself  continues  to  live  since  man  is  not  a  man 
because  of  his  body  but  because  of  his  spirit,  for  it  is 
the  spirit  that  thinks  in  man,  and  thought  with  affec- 
tion is  what  constitutes  man.  Evidently,  then,  the 
death  of  man  is  merely  his  passing  from  one  world 
into  another.  And  this  is  why  in  the  Word  in  its 

[9] 


LIFE   AFTER   DEATH 

internal  sense  "death"  signifies  resurrection  and  con- 
tinuation of  life  (445). 

After  the  separation  the  spirit  of  man  continues  in 
the  body  for  a  short  time,  but  only  until  the  heart's 
action  has  wholly  ceased.  As  soon  as  this  motion 
ceases  the  man  is  resuscitated ;  but  this  is  done  by  the 
Lord  alone.  Resuscitation  means  the  drawing  forth  of 
the  spirit  from  the  body,  and  its  introduction  into  the 
spiritual  world;  this  is  commonly  called  the  resurrec- 
tion (447). 

That  the  spirit  of  man,  when  it  has  been  loosed  from 
the  body,  is  still  a  man  and  in  a  like  form,  has  been 
proved  to  me  by  the  daily  experience  of  many  years ; 
for  I  have  seen  such  and  have  listened  to  them  a  thou- 
sand times  (456) . 


MAN   AFTER   DEATH   IS   IN   A   COMPLETE 
HUMAN   FORM 


angels  are  human  forms,  or  men,  has  been 
seen  by  me  a  thousand  times.  I  have  talked  with 
them  as  man  with  man,  sometimes  with  one,  sometimes 
with  many  together  ;  and  I  have  seen  nothing  whatever 
in  their  form  different  from  the  human  form;  and 
have  frequently  been  surprised  to  find  them  such.  And 
that  this  might  not  be  said  to  be  a  delusion  or  a  vision 
of  fancy,  I  have  been  permitted  to  see  angels  when 
fully  awake  or  in  possession  of  all  my  bodily  senses, 
and  in  a  state  of  clear  perception  (74). 

From  all  my  experience,  which  is  now  of   many 
years,  I  am  able  to  state  that  angels  are  wholly  men  in 
form,  having  faces,  eyes,  ears,  bodies,  arms,  hands, 
[10] 


LIFE   AFTER   DEATH 

and  feet ;  that  they  see  and  hear  one  another,  and  talk 
together,  and  in  a  word  lack  nothing  whatever  that 
belongs  to  men  except  that  they  are  not  clothed  in 
material  bodies.  I  have  seen  them  in  their  own  light, 
which  exceeds  by  many  degrees  the  noonday  light  of 
the  world,  and  in  that  light  all  their  features  could  be 
seen  more  distinctly  and  clearly  than  the  faces  of  men 
are  seen  on  the  earth.  It  has  also  been  granted  me  to 
see  an  angel  of  the  inmost  heaven.  He  had  a  more 
radiant  and  resplendent  face  than  the  angels  of  the 
lower  heavens.  I  observed  him  attentively,  and  he 
had  a  human  form  in  all  completeness  (75). 

Good  spirits,  with  whom  I  have  spoken  about  this 
matter,  have  been  deeply  grieved  at  such  ignorance  in 
the  church  about  the  condition  of  heaven  and  of  spirits 
and  angels;  and  in  their  displeasure  they  charged  me 
to  declare  positively  that  they  are  not  formless  minds 
nor  ethereal  breaths,  but  are  men  in  very  form,  and  see, 
hear,  and  feel  as  fully  as  those  who  are  in  this  world 
(77). 

That  in  respect  to  his  interiors  man  is  a  spirit  can 
be  seen  from  the  fact  that  after  his  separation  from 
the  body,  which  takes  place  when  he  dies,  man  goes 
on  living  just  as  before.  That  I  might  be  convinced 
of  this  I  have  been  permitted  to  talk  with  nearly  every 
one  I  had  ever  known  in  their  life  in  the  body;  with 
some  for  hours,  with  some  for  weeks  and  months,  and 
with  some  for  years,  and  this  chiefly  that  I  might  be 
sure  of  it  and  might  testify  to  it  (437). 

It  is  a  matter  of  importance  to  know  that  every  one's 
human  form  after  death  is  the  more  beautiful  in  pro- 
portion as  he  has  more  interiorly  loved  Divine  truths 
and  lived  according  to  them ;  for  every  one's  interiors 
are  both  opened  and  formed  in  accordance  with  his 

[11] 


LIFE   AFTER   DEATH 

love  and  life ;  therefore  the  more  interior  the  affection 
is  the  more  like  heaven  it  is,  and  in  consequence  the 
more  beautiful  the  face  is.  This  is  why  the  angels  in 
the  inmost  heaven  are  the  most  beautiful,  for  they  are 
forms  of  celestial  love  (459) . 


AFTER  DEATH  MAN  IS  POSSESSED  OF 
EVERY  SENSE,  AND  OF  ALL  THE  MEM- 
ORY, THOUGHT,  AND  AFFECTION,  THAT 
HE  HAD  IN  THE  WORLD,  LEAVING 
NOTHING  BEHIND  EXCEPT  HIS  EARTH- 
LY BODY 

T  T  has  been  proved  to  me  by  manifold  experience 
*•  that  when  man  passes  from  the  natural  world  into 
the  spiritual,  as  he  does  when  he  dies,  he  carries  with 
him  all  his  possessions,  that  is,  every  thing  that  belongs 
to  him  as  a  man,  except  his  earthly  body.  For  when 
man  enters  the  spiritual  world  or  the  life  after  death, 
he  is  in  a  body  as  he  was  in  the  world,  with  no  appar- 
ent difference,  since  he  neither  sees  nor  feels  any 
difference.  But  his  body  is  then  spiritual,  and  thus 
separated  or  purified  from  all  that  is  earthly ;  and  when 
what  is  spiritual  touches  or  sees  what  is  spiritual,  it 
is  just  the  same  as  when  what  is  natural  touches  or 
sees  what  is  natural.  So  when  a  man  has  become  a 
spirit  he  does  not  know  that  he  has  died,  but  believes 
that  he  is  in  the  same  body  that  he  had  in  the  world. 

Moreover,  a  man's  spirit  enjoys  every  sense,  both 
outer  and  inner,  that  he  enjoyed  in  the  world ;  he  sees 
as  before,  he  hears  and  speaks  as  before,  smells  and 

[12] 


LIFE   AFTER   DEATH 

tastes,  and  when  touched,  he  feels  the  touch  as  before ; 
he  also  longs,  desires,  craves,  thinks,  reflects,  is  stirred, 
loves,  wills,  as  before;  and  one  who  takes  delight  in 
studies,  reads  and  writes  as  before.  In  a  word,  when 
a  man  passes  from  one  life  into  the  other,  or  from 
one  world  into  the  other,  it  is  like  passing  from  one 
place  into  another,  carrying  with  him  all  things  that 
he  had  possessed  in  himself  as  a  man ;  so  that  by  death, 
which  is  only  the  death  of  the  earthly  body,  man  can- 
not be  said  to  have  lost  any  thing  really  his  own. 

Furthermore,  he  carries  with  him  his  natural  mem- 
ory, retaining  every  thing  that  he  has  heard,  seen, 
read,  learned,  or  thought,  in  the  world  from  earliest 
infancy  even  to  the  end  of  life  (461). 

That  when  a  man  leaves  the  world  he  takes  with 
him  all  his  memory  has  been  shown  to  me  in  many 
ways,  and  many  of  the  things  I  have  seen  and  heard 
are  worthy  of  mention,  some  of  which  I  will  relate  in 
order.  There  were  some  who  denied  their  crimes  and 
villanies  which  they  had  perpetrated  in  the  world; 
and  in  consequence,  that  they  might  not  be  believed 
innocent,  all  their  deeds  were  disclosed  and  reviewed 
from  their  memory  in  order,  from  their  earliest  to 
their  latest  years.  There  were  some  who  had  deceived 
others  by  wicked  arts  and  had  committed  thefts.  The 
deceits  and  thefts  of  these  were  also  enumerated  in 
detail,  many  of  which  were  known  to  scarcely  any 
in  the  world  except  themselves.  These  deeds  they 
confessed,  because  they  were  plainly  set  forth,  with, 
every  thought,  intention,  pleasure,  and  fear  which 
occupied  their  minds  at  the  time. 

There  were  others  who  had  accepted  bribes,  and  had 
rendered  venal  judgments,  who  were  similarly  ex- 
plored from  their  memory,  and  from  it  every  thing 

[13] 


LIFE   AFTER   DEATH 

they  had  done  from  the  beginning  to  the  end  of  their 
office  was  reviewed.  Every  detail  in  regard  to  what 
and  how  much  they  had  received,  as  well  as  the  time, 
and  their  state  of  mind  and  intention,  were  brought 
to  their  recollection.  .  .  .  Moreover,  I  have  learned 
from  a  man's  memory,  when  it  was  seen  and  inspected 
by  angels,  what  his  thoughts  had  been  for  a  month, 
one  day,  after  another,  and  this  without  mistake,  the 
thoughts  being  recalled  just  as  they  arose  from  day 
to  day. 

From  these  examples  it  can  be  seen  that  man  carries 
with  him  all  of  his  memory,  and  that  nothing  can  be 
so  carefully  concealed  in  the  world  as  not  to  be  dis- 
closed after  death,  which  is  done  in  the  presence  of 
many,  according  to  the  Lord's  words : 

"There  is  nothing  concealed  that  shall  not  be  uncovered,  and 
nothing  secret  that  shall  not  be  known ;  therefore  what 
ye  have  spoken  in  the  dark  shall  be  heard  in  light,  and 
what  ye  have  spoken  in  the  ear  .  .  .  shall  be  proclaimed 
on  the  housetops"  (Luke  xii.  2,  3)  (462). 

In  disclosing  his  acts  to  a  man  after  death,  the 
angels  to  whom  the  office  of  searching  is  assigned  look 
into  his  face.  ...  I  know  that  all  this  sounds  like  a 
paradox,  and  is  difficult  to  believe ;  but  still  it  is  true. 
Let  no  one  believe,  then,  that  there  is  any  thing  that 
a  man  has  ever  thought  in  himself  or  done  in  secret 
that  can  be  concealed  after  death ;  but  let  him  believe 
that  all  things  and  each  single  thing  are  then  made  as 
clear  as  day  (463). 

Men  that  are  in  love  to  the  Lord  and  charity  toward 
the  neighbor  have  with  them  and  in  them  during  their 
life  in  the  world  angelic  intelligence  and  wisdom,  but 
it  is  then  stored  up  in  the  inmosts  of  the  inner  mem- 
ory; and  they  are  not  at  all  conscious  of  it  until  they 

[14] 


LIFE   AFTER   DEATH 

put  off  corporeal  things.  Then  the  natural  memory  is 
laid  asleep  and  they  awake  into  their  inner  memory, 
and  then  gradually  into  angelic  memory  itself  (467). 

And  yet  there  is  a  great  difference  between  man's 
life  in  the  spiritual  world  and  his  life  in  the  natural 
world,  in  regard  both  to  his  outer  senses  and  their 
affections  and  his  inner  senses  and  their  affections. 
Those  that  are  in  heaven  have  more  exquisite  senses, 
that  is,  a  keener  sight  and  hearing,  and  also  think 
more  wisely,  than  when  they  were  in  the  world;  for 
they  see  in  the  light  of  heaven,  which  surpasses  by 
many  degrees  the  light  of  the  world  (462). 

They  wished  me  to  say  that  they  were  not  dead,  but 
were  living  as  men  the  same  as  before,  and  had  merely 
migrated  from  one  world  into  the  other,  and  were  not 
aware  of  having  lost  any  thing,  since  they  had  a  body 
and  its  senses  just  as  before,  also  understanding  and 
will  just  as  before,  with  thoughts  and  affections,  sensa- 
tions and  desires,  like  those  they  had  in  the  world. 

Most  of  those  who  had  recently  died,  when  they 
saw  themselves  to  be  living  men  as  before,  and  in  a 
like  state  (for  after  death  every  one's  state  of  life  is 
at  first  such  as  it  was  in  the  world,  but  there  is  a 
gradual  change  in  it  either  into  heaven  or  into  hell), 
were  moved  by  new  joy  at  being  alive,  saying  that  they 
had  not  believed  that  it  would  be  so.  They  greatly 
wondered  that  they  should  have  lived  in  such  ignor- 
ance and  blindness  about  the  state  of  their  life  after 
death.  .  .  .  Then  they  began  to  see  the  cause  of  that 
blindness  and  ignorance,  which  is,  that  external  things 
relating  to  the  world  and  the  body  had  so  occupied 
and  filled  their  minds  that  they  could  not  be  raised 
into  the  light  of  heaven  (312). 

[15] 


LIFE  .AFTER   DEATH 

MAN  AFTER  DEATH  IS  SUCH  AS  HIS  LIFE 
HAD  BEEN  IN  THE  WORLD 

T7VERY  Christian  knows  from  the  Word  that  every 
^— '  one's  life  continues  the  same  after  death;  for  it 
is  there  said  in  many  passages  that  man  will  be  judged 
and  rewarded  according  to  his  deeds  and  works ;  and 
no  one  who  thinks  from  good  and  from  real  truth  can 
help  seeing  that  he  who  lives  well  goes  to  heaven  and 
that  he  who  lives  wickedly  goes  to  hell.  But  the  evil 
man  is  unwilling  to  believe  that  his  state  after  death 
is  according  to  his  life  in  the  world ;  he  thinks  instead, 
especially  when  he  is  sick,  that  heaven  is  granted  to 
every  one  out  of  pure  mercy,  whatever  his  life  may 
have  been,  and  that  this  is  done  in  accord  with  his 
faith,  which  he  separates  from  life. 

That  man  will  be  judged  and  rewarded  according 
to  his  deeds  and  works  is  declared  in  many  passages 
in  the  Word,  some  of  which  I  will  here  quote : 

"The  Son  of  man  shall  come  in  the  glory  of  His  Father  with 
His  angels,  and  then  He  will  render  unto  every  one  accord- 
ing to  his  works"  (Matt.  xyi.  27). 

"1  will  recompense  them  according  to  their  work  and  according 
to  the  doing  of  their  hands"  (Jer.  xxv.  14). 

Jehovah,  "whose  eyes  are  open  upon  all  the  ways  of  man,  to 
give  to  every  one  according  to  his  ways  and  according  to 
the  fruit  of  his  works"  (Jer.  xxxii.  19). 

"I  will  visit  upon  his  ways  and  recompense  to  him  his  works" 
(Hosea  iv.  9). 

"Jehovah  .  .  .  doeth  with  us  according  to  our  ways  and  accord- 
ing to  our  works"  (Zech.  i.  6). 

In  foretelling  the  last  judgment  the  Lord  recounts 
nothing  but  works,  teaching  that  those  that  have  done 
good  works  will  enter  into  eternal  life.  ...  It  is  clear 
that  works  and  deeds  constitute  the  outward  life  of 

[16] 


LIFE   AFTER   DEATH 

man,  and  that  the  quality  of  his  inward  life  is  made 
evident  in  them  (470,  471). 

But  by  deeds  and  works,  what  they  are  inwardly  is 
here  meant,  and  not  the  way  they  outwardly  appear; 
for  every  one  knows  that  every  deed  and  work  goes 
forth  from  the  man's  will  and  thought;  otherwise  it 
would  be  nothing  but  a  movement  like  that  of  an 
automaton  or  image.  Consequently,  a  deed  or  work 
viewed  in  itself  is  merely  an  effect  that  derives  its 
soul  and  life  from  will  and  thought,  even  to  the  extent 
that  it  is  nothing  but  will  and  thought  in  effect,  and 
thus  is  will  and  thought  in  outward  form. 

From  this  it  follows  that  a  deed  or  work  is  the  same 
in  quality  as  the  will  and  thought  that  produce  it.  If 
the  thought  and  will  are  good  the  deeds  and  works 
are  good;  but  if  the  thought  and  will  are  evil  the 
deeds  and  works  are  evil,  although  in  outward  appear- 
ance they  are  the  same.  A  thousand  men  may  act  in 
the  same  way,  that  is,  may  do  like  deeds,  so  alike  in 
outward  form  as  to  be  almost  indistinguishable,  and 
yet  each  one  regarded  in  itself  be  different,  because 
from  a  different  will. 

For  example,  when  one  acts  honestly  and  justly  with 
a  companion,  one  person  may  do  it  for  the  purpose 
of  appearing  to  be  honest  and  just  out  of  regard  to 
himself  and  his  own  honor;  another  out  of  regard  to 
the  world  and  gain;  a  third  out  of  regard  to  reward 
and  merit ;  a  fourth  out  of  regard  to  friendship ;  a 
fifth  from  fear  of  the  law  and  the  loss  of  reputation 
or  employment  (472). 


[17] 


LIFE   AFTER   DEATH 

WHAT  THE  WORLD  OF  SPIRITS  IS 

w  I AHE  world  of  spirits  is  not  heaven,  nor  is  it  hell, 
but  it  is  the  intermediate  place  or  state  between 
the  two ;  for  it  is  the  place  that  man  first  enters  after 
death;  and  from  which  after  a  suitable  time  he  is 
either  raised  up  into  heaven  or  cast  down  into  hell  in 
accord  with  his  life  acquired  in  the  world. 

The  world  of  spirits  is  both  an  intermediate  place 
"between  heaven  and  hell  and  an  intermediate  state  of 
the  man  after  death.  It  has  been  shown  to  me  not 
only  that  it  is  an  intermediate  place,  having  the  hells 
"below  it  and  the  heavens  above  it,  but  also  that  it  is 
an  intermediate  state,  since  so  long  as  man  is  in  it  he 
is  not  yet  either  in  heaven  or  in  hell.  The  state  of 
heaven  in  man  is  the  conjunction  of  good  and  truth  in 
him ;  and  the  state  of  hell  is  the  conjunction  of  evil  and 
falsity  in  him.  Whenever  good  in  a  man-spirit  is  con- 
joined to  truth  he  comes  into  heaven,  because  that 
•conjunction,  as  just  said,  is  heaven  in  him ;  but  when- 
ever evil  in  a  man-spirit  is  conjoined  with  falsity  he 
comes  into  hell,  because  that  conjunction  is  hell  in  him. 
That  conjunction  is  effected  in  the  world  of  spirits, 
man  then  being  in  an  intermediate  state  (421,  422). 

In  the  world  of  spirits  there  are  vast  numbers,  be- 
cause the  first  meeting  of  all  is  there,  and  all  are  there 
explored  and  prepared.  The  time  of  their  stay  in  that 
-world  is  not  fixed.  .  .  .  How  man  is  led  in  that  world 
from  one  state  into  another  and  prepared  shall  now 
be  told. 

As  soon  as  men  after  death  enter  the  world  of  spirits 
the  Lord  clearly  discriminates  between  them ;  and  the 
evil  are  at  once  attached  to  the  infernal  society  with 
which  they  were  united  by  their  ruling  love  while  in 

[18] 


LIFE   AFTER   DEATH 

the  world;  and  the  good  are  at  once  attached  to  the 
heavenly  society  with  which  they  were  united  while  in 
the  world  by  their  love,  charity,  and  faith.  But  al- 
though they  are  thus  divided,  all  that  have  been  friends 
and  acquaintances  in  the  life  of  the  body,  especially 
wives  and  husbands,  and  brothers  and  sisters,  meet 
and  converse  together  whenever  they  so  desire.  I  have 
seen  a  father  talking  with  six  sons,  whom  he  had 
recognized,  and  have  seen  many  others  with  their 
relatives  and  friends  (426,  427). 

The  state  of  man's  spirit  that  immediately  follows 
his  life  in  the  world  being  such,  he  is  then  recognized 
by  his  friends  and  by  those  he  had  known  in  the  world  ; 
for  this  is  something  that  spirits  perceive  not  only  from 
one's  face  and  speech  but  also  from  the  sphere  of  his 
life  when  they  draw  near.  Whenever  any  one  in  the 
other  life  thinks  about  another  he  brings  his  face  be- 
fore him  in  thought,  and  at  the  same  time  many  things 
of  his  life ;  and  when  he  does  this  the  other  becomes 
present,  as  if  he  had  been  sent  for  or  called.  This  is 
so  in  the  spiritual  world  because  thoughts  there  are 
shared,  and  there  is  no  such  space  there  as  in  the 
natural  world.  So  all,  as  soon  as  they  enter  the  other 
life,  are  recognized  by  their  friends,  their  relatives, 
and  those  in  any  way  known  to  them ;  and  they  talk 
with  one  another,  and  afterward  associate  in  accord- 
ance with  their  friendships  in  the  world.  I  have  often 
heard  that  those  that  have  come  from  the  world  were 
rejoiced  at  seeing  their  friends  again,  and  that  their 
friends  in  turn  were  rejoiced  that  they  had  come. 
Very  commonly  husband  and  wife  come  together  and 
congratulate  each  other,  and  continue  together,  and 
this  for  a  longer  or  shorter  time  in  accord  with  their 
delight  in  living  together  in  the  world.  If  they  had 

[19] 


LIFE   AFTER   DEATH 

not  been  united  by  a  true  marriage  love,  which  is  a 
conjunction  of  minds  by  heavenly  love,  after  remain- 
ing together  for  a  while  they  separate  (494). 


THE  FIRST  STATE  OF  MAN  AFTER  DEATH 

SPHERE  are  three  states  that  man  passes  through 
•*•  after  death  before  he  enters  either  heaven  or  hell. 
The  first  state  is  the  state  of  his  exteriors,  the  second 
state  the  state  of  his  interiors,  and  the  third  his  state 
of  preparation.  These  states  man  passes  through  in 
the  world  of  spirits. 

In  regard  to  the  first  state,  which  is  the  state  of 
the  exteriors,  it  is  that  which  man  comes  into  imme- 
diately after  death.  Every  man,  as  regards  his  spirit, 
has  exteriors  and  interiors.  The  exteriors  of  the  spirit 
are  the  means  by  which  it  adapts  the  man's  body  in 
the  world,  especially  the  face,  speech,  and  movements, 
to  fellowship  with  others;  while  the  interiors  of  the 
spirit  are  what  belong  to  its  own  will  and  thought ; 
and  these  are  rarely  manifested  in  face,  speech,  and 
movement.  For  man  is  accustomed  from  childhood 
to  maintain  a  semblance  of  friendship,  benevolence, 
and  sincerity,  and  to  conceal  the  thoughts  of  his  own 
will,  thereby  living  from  habit  a  moral  and  civil  life 
in  externals,  whatever  he  may  be  internally. 

The  first  state  of  man  after  death  resembles  his  state 
in  the  world,  for  he  is  then  likewise  in  externals,  having 
a  like  face,  like  speech,  and  a  like  disposition,  thus  a 
like  moral  and  civil  life.  .  .  .  Thus  is  one  life  con- 
tinued into  the  other,  and  death  is  merely  the  passing 
from  one  to  the  other  (491-493). 

As  the  life  of  spirits  recently  from  the  world  is  not 
[20] 


LIFE   AFTER   DEATH 

unlike  their  former  life,  and  as  they  know  nothing 
about  the  state  of  life  after  death  and  nothing  about 
heaven  and  hell  except  what  they  have  learned  from 
the  sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word  and  preaching 
from  it,  they  are  at  first  surprised  to  find  themselves 
in  a  body  and  in  every  sense  that  they  had  in  the 
world,  and  seeing  the  same  things;  and  they  become 
eager  to  know  what  heaven  is,  what  hell  is,  and  where 
they  are.  Therefore  their  friends  tell  them  about  the 
conditions  of  eternal  life,  and  take  them  about  to 
various  places  and  into  various  companies,  and  some- 
times into  cities,  and  into  gardens  and  parks,  showing 
them  chiefly  such  magnificent  things  as  delight  the 
external  senses  and  faculties,  which  are  then  active. 

Nearly  all  are  anxious  to  know  whether  they  will 
get  to  heaven.  Most  of  them  believe  that  they  will, 
because  of  their  having  lived  in  the  world  a  moral  and 
civil  life,  never  considering  that  the  bad  and  the  good 
life  a  like  life  outwardly,  alike  doing  good  to  others, 
attending  public  worship,  hearing  sermons,  and  pray- 
ing; and  wholly  ignorant  that  external  deeds  and  ex- 
ternal acts  of  worship  are  of  no  avail,  but  only  the 
internals  from  which  the  externals  proceed.  There 
is  hardly  one  out  of  thousands  who  knows  what  inter- 
nals are,  and  that  it  is  in  them  that  man  must  find 
heaven  and  the  church.  Still  less  is  it  known  that  out- 
ward acts  are  such  as  the  intentions  and  thoughts  are, 
and  the  love  and  faith  in  these  from  which  they  spring1 
(495). 

This  first  state  of  man  after  death  continues  with 
some  for  days,  with  some  for  months,  and  with  some 
for  a  year.  ...  In  the  spiritual  world  no  one  is  per- 
mitted to  think  and  will  in  one  way  and  speak  and 
act  in  amother  (498). 

[21] 


LIFE   AFTER   DEATH 

THE  SECOND   STATE  OF  MAN  AFTER 
DEATH 

THE  second  state  of  man  after  death  is  called  the 
state  of  his  interiors,  because  he  is  then  let  into 
the  interiors  of  his  mind,  that  is,  of  his  will  and 
thought;  while  his  exteriors,  which  he  has  been  in 
•during  his  first  state,  are  laid  asleep.  Whoever  gives 
any  thought  to  man's  life  and  speech  and  action  can 
see  that  every  one  has  exteriors  and  interiors,  that  is, 
exterior  and  interior  thoughts  and  intentions.  This  is 
shown  by  the  fact  that  in  society  one  thinks  about 
others  in  accordance  with  what  he  has  heard  and 
learned  of  them  by  intercourse  or  conversation ;  but 
he  does  not  talk  with  them  in  accordance  with  his 
thought;  and  if  they  are  evil  he  nevertheless  treats 
them  with  civility.  That  this  is  so  is  seen  especially 
in  the  case  of  pretenders  and  flatterers,  who  speak  and 
act  in  one  way  and  think  and  will  in  a  wholly  different 
way;  also  in  the  case  of  hypocrites,  who  talk  about 
God  and  heaven  and  the  salvation  of  souls  and  the 
truths  of  the  church  and  their  country's  good  and  their 
neighbor  as  if  from  faith  and  love,  although  in  heart 
they  believe  otherwise  and  love  themselves  alone. 

All  this  makes  clear  that  there  are  two  kinds  of 
thought,  one  exterior  and  the  other  interior;  and  that 
there  are  those  who  speak  from  exterior  thought, 
while  from  their  interior  thought  they  have  other  sen- 
timents, and  that  these  two  kinds  of  thought  are  kept 
separate,  and  .the  interior  is  carefully  prevented  from 
flowing  into  the  exterior  and  becoming  manifest  in  any 
way.  All  this  has  been  said  to  make  known  that  every 
man  has  interior  thought  and  exterior  thought,  and 
that  these  are  distinct  from  each  other  (499). 

[22] 


LIFE   AFTER   DEATH 

When  the  first  state,  which  is  the  state  of  the  ex- 
teriors treated  of  in  the  preceding  chapter,  has  been 
passed  through,  the  man-spirit  is  let  into  the  state 
of  his  interiors,  or  into  the  state  of  his  interior  will 
and  its  thought,  in  which  he  had  been  in  the  world 
when  left  to  himself  to  think  freely  and  without  re- 
straint (502). 

In  this  state  the  spirit  thinks  from  his  very  will,  thus 
from  his  very  affection,  or  from  his  very  love:  and 
thought  and  will  then  make  one  (503). 

All  men  without  exception  are  let  into  this  state 
after  death,  because  it  is  their  spirit's  own  state.  The 
former  state  is  such  as  the  man  was  in  regard  to  his 
spirit  when  in  company;  and  that  is  not  his  own  state 
(504). 

All  that  have  lived  a  good  life  in  the  world  and  have 
acted  from  conscience,  who  are  such  as  have  ac- 
knowledged the  Divine  and  have  loved  Divine  truths,, 
especially  such  as  have  applied  those  truths  to  life, 
seem  to  themselves,  when  let  into  the  state  of  their 
interiors,  like  one  aroused  from  sleep  into  full  wake- 
fulness,  or  like  one  passing  from  darkness  into  light. 
They  then  think  from  the  light  of  heaven,  thus  from 
an  interior  wisdom,  and  they  act  from  good,  thus  from 
an  interior  affection  (506). 

When  evil  spirits  are  in  this  second  state,  as  they 
rush  into  evils  of  every  kind  they  are  subjected  to 
frequent  and  grievous  punishments.  In  the  world  of 
spirits  there  are  many  kinds  of  punishment ;  and  there 
is  no  regard  for  person,  whether  one  had  been  in  the 
world  a  king  or  a  servant.  Every  evil  carries  its  pun- 
ishment with  it,  the  two  making  one;  therefore  who- 
ever is  in  evil  is  also  in  the  punishment  of  evil.  And 
yet  no  one  in  the  other  world  suffers  punishment  on 

[23] 


LIFE   AFTER   DEATH 

account  of  the  evils  that  he  had  done  in  this  world, 
but  only  on  account  of  the  evils  that  he  then  does; 
although  it  amounts  to  the  same  and  is  the  same  thing 
whether  it  be  said  that  men  suffer  punishment  on 
account  of  their  evils  in  the  world  or  that  they  suffer 
punishment  on  account  of  the  evils  they  do  in  the 
other  life,  since  every  one  after  death  returns  into  his 
own  life  and  thus  into  like  evils. 

Men  are  punished  for  the  reason  that  the  fear  of 
punishment  is  the  sole  means  of  subduing  evils  in  this 
state.  Exhortation  is  no  longer  of  any  avail,  neither 
is  instruction  or  fear  of  the  law  and  of  the  loss  of 
reputation,  since  every  one  then  acts  from  his  nature ; 
and  that  nature  can  be  restrained  and  broken  only  by 
punishments.  But  good  spirits,  although  they  had 
done  evils  in  the  world,  are  not  punished,  because  their 
evils  do  not  return.  Moreover,  I  have  learned  that 
the  evils  they  did  were  of  a  different  kind  or  nature, 
not  being  done  purposely  in  opposition  to  the  truth, 
or  from  any  other  badness  of  heart  than  that  which 
they  received  by  inheritance  from  their  parents,  and 
that  they  were  borne  into  this  by  a  blind  delight  when 
they  were  in  externals  separate  from  internals  (509). 

In  this  second  state  the  separation  of  evil  spirits 
from  good  spirits  takes  place.  In  the  first  state  they 
are  together,  for  while  a  spirit  is  in  his  exteriors  he  is 
as  he  was  in  the  world,  thus  the  evil  with  the  good  and 
the  good  with  the  evil ;  but  it  is  otherwise  when  he  has 
been  brought  into  his  interiors  and  left  to  his  own 
nature  or  will  (511). 


[24] 


LIFE   AFTER   DEATH 


THIRD  STATE  OF  MAN  AFTER  DEATH, 
WHICH  IS  A  STATE  OF  INSTRUCTION 
FOR  THOSE  WHO  ENTER  HEAVEN 


third  state  of  man  after  death,  that  is,  of  his 
spirit,  is  a  state  of  instruction.  .  .  .  For  one  can 
be  prepared  for  heaven  only  by  means  of  knowledges 
of  good  and  truth,  that  is,  only  by  means  of  instruction, 
since  one  can  know  what  spiritual  good  and  truth  are, 
and  what  evil  and  falsity  are,  which  are  their  oppo- 
sites,  only  by  being  taught.  One  can  learn  from  the 
world  what  civil  and  moral  good  and  truth  are,  which 
are  called  justice  and  honesty,  because  there  are  civil 
laws  in  the  world  that  teach  what  is  just,  and  there  is 
intercourse  with  others  whereby  man  learns  to  live  in 
accordance  with  moral  laws,  all  of  which  have  relation 
to  what  is  honest  and  right.  But  spiritual  good  and 
truth  are  learned  from  heaven,  not  from  the  world. 
They  can  be  learned  from  the  Word  and  from  the 
doctrine  of  the  church  that  is  drawn  from  the  Word 
(512). 

Instruction  in  the  heavens  differs  from  instruction 
on  earth  in  that  knowledges  are  not  committed  to  mem- 
ory, but  to  life  ;  for  the  memory  of  spirits  is  in  their 
life,  for  they  receive  and  imbibe  everything  that  is  in 
harmony  with  their  life,  and  do  not  receive,  still  less 
imbibe,  what  is  not  in  harmony  with  it  ;  for  spirits  are 
affections,  and  are  therefore  in  a  human  form  that  is 
in  accord  with  their  affections  (517). 


[25] 


LIFE   AFTER   DEATH 


IT   IS   NOT    SO   DIFFICULT   TO   LIVE    THE 

LIFE  THAT   LEADS   TO   HEAVEN 

AS   SOME   BELIEVE 

*T*HERE  are  some  who  believe  that  to  live  the  life 
•*•  that  leads  to  heaven,  which  is  called  the  spiritual 
life,  is  difficult,  because  they  have  been  told  that  man 
must  renounce  the  world,  must  divest  himself  of  the 
lusts  called  the  lusts  of  the  body  and  the  flesh,  and 
must  live  spiritually ;  and  they  understand  this  to  mean 
that  they  must  discard  worldly  things,  which  consist 
chiefly  in  riches  and  honors ;  that  they  must  walk  con- 
tinually in  pious  meditation  on  God,  salvation,  and 
eternal  life;  and  must  spend  their  life  in  prayers  and 
in  reading  the  Word  and  pious  books.  Such  is  their 
idea  of  renouncing  the  world,  and  living  in  the  spirit 
and  not  in  the  flesh.  .  .  . 

On  the  contrary,  to  receive  the  life  of  heaven  a  man 
must  live  in  the  world  and  engage  in  its  business  and 
employments,  and  by  means  of  a  moral  and  civil  life 
there  receive  the  spiritual  life  (528). 

That  it  is  not  so  difficult  as  some  believe  to  live  the 
life  that  leads  to  heaven  will  now  be  shown.  Any  one 
can  live  a  civil  and  moral  life ;  for  every  one  from  his 
childhood  is  initiated  into  that  life,  and  learns  what 
it  is  by  living  in  the  world.  Moreover,  every  one, 
whether  evil  or  good,  lives  that  life ;  for  who  does  not 
wish  to  be  called  honest,  and  who  does  not  wish  to 
be  called  just?  Almost  every  one  practices  honesty 
and  justice  outwardly,  so  far  as  to  seem  to  be  honest 
and  just  at  heart,  or  to  seem  to  act  from  real  honesty 
and  justice.  The  spiritual  man  ought  to  live  in  like 

[26] 


LIFE   AFTER   DEATH 

manner,  and  can  do  so  as  easily  as  the  natural  man 
can,  with  this  difference  only,  that  the  spiritual  man 
believes  in  the  Divine,  and  acts  honestly  and  justly, 
not  solely  because  to  so  act  is  in  accord  with  civil  and 
moral  laws,  but  also  because  it  is  in  accord  with  Divine 
laws.  .  .  .  His  justice  and  honesty  appear  outwardly 
precisely  the  same  as  the  justice  and  honesty  of  natural 
men  and  even  of  evil  and  infernal  men ;  but  in  inward 
form  they  are  wholly  unlike.  For  evil  men  act  justly 
and  honestly  solely  for  the  sake  of  themselves  and  the 
world ;  and  therefore  if  they  had  no  fear  of  laws  and 
penalties,  or  the  loss  of  reputation,  of  honor,  of  gain, 
and  of  life,  they  would  act  in  every  respect  dishonestly 
and  unjustly,  since  they  neither  fear  God  nor  any 
Divine  law  (530). 

Every  one  may  know  that  thoughts  are  led  or  tend 
in  accord  with  the  intentions,  that  is,  in  the  same 
directions  that  one  intends ;  for  thought  is  man's  in- 
ternal sight,  and  resembles  the  external  sight  in  this, 
that  to  whatever  point  it  is  directed  or  aimed,  thither 
it  turns  and  there  it  rests.  Therefore  when  the  in- 
ternal sight  or  the  thought  is  turned  towards  the  world 
and  rests  there,  the  thought  in  consequence  becomes 
worldly;  when  it  turns  to  self  and  self -honor  it  be- 
comes corporeal ;  but  when  it  is  turned  heavenwards 
it  becomes  heavenly. 

Man's  love  is  what  constitutes  his  intention  and 
determines  his  internal  sight  or  thought  to  its  objects; 
thus  the  love  of  self  fixes  it  upon  self  and  its  objects, 
the  love  of  the  world  upon  worldly  objects,  and  the 
love  of  heaven  upon  heavenly  objects. 

Man's  intention,  by  which  his  internal  sight  or 
thought  is  determined,  is  his  will ;  for  what  a  man 
wills  he  intends,  and  what  he  intends  he  thinks. 

[27] 


LIFE   AFTER   DEATH 

Therefore  when  his  intention  is  heavenward  his 
thought  is  determined  heavenward,  and  with  it  his 
whole  mind,  which  is  thus  in  heaven  (532). 

That  it  is  not  so  difficult  to  live  the  life  of  heaven 
as  some  believe  can  now  be  seen  from  this,  that  when 
any  thing  presents  itself  to  a  man  that  he  knows  to 
be  dishonest  and  unjust,  but  to  which  he  is  inclined, 
it  is  simply  necessary  for  him  to  think  that  it  ought 
not  to  be  done  because  it  is  opposed  to  the  Divine 
precepts.  If  a  man  accustoms  himself  so  to  think,  and 
from  so  doing  establishes  a  habit  of  so  thinking,  he  is 
gradually  conjoined  to  heaven.  And  when  man  has 
made  a  beginning  the  Lord  quickens  all  that  is  good 
in  him,  and  causes  him  not  only  to  see  evils  to  be 
evils,  but  also  to  refrain  from  willing  them,  and  finally 
to  turn  away  from  them.  This  is  meant  by  the  Lord's 
words, 

"My  yoke  is  easy  and  My  burden  is  light"  (Matt.  xi.  30). 

But  it  must  be  understood  that  the  difficulty  of  so 
thinking  and  of  resisting  evils  increases  so  far  as  man 
from  his  will  does  evils  (533). 

All  this  has  been  said  to  make  known  that  the  life 
that  leads  to  heaven  is  not  a  life  withdrawn  from  the 
world,  but  a  life  in  the  world ;  and  that  a  life  of  piety 
separated  from  a  life  of  charity,  which  is  possible  only 
in  the  world,  does  not  lead  to  heaven;  but  a  life  of 
charity  does ;  and  a  life  of  charity  consists  in  acting 
honestly  and  justly  in  every  employment,  in  every  busi- 
ness, and  in  every  work,  from  an  interior,  that  is,  from 
a  heavenly,  motive;  and  this  motive  is  in  that  life 
whenever  man  acts  honestly  and  justly  because  doing 
so  is  in  accord  with  the  Divine  laws.  Such  a  life  is  not 

[28] 


LIFE   AFTER   DEATH 

difficult.  But  a  life  of  piety  separate  from  a  life  of 
charity  is  difficult;  and  as  much  as  such  a  life  is  be- 
lieved to  lead  towards  heaven  so  much  it  leads  away 
from  heaven  (535). 


NO  ONE  IS  CAST  INTO  HELL  BY  THE  LORD; 
THIS  IS  DONE  BY  THE  SPIRIT  HIMSELF 

AN  opinion  has  prevailed  with  some  that  God  turns 
away  His  face  from  man,  casts  man  away  from 
Himself,  and  casts  him  into  hell,  and  is  angry  on  ac- 
count of  his  evil ;  and  some  believe  also  that  God 
punishes  man  and  does  evil  to  him.  In  this  opinion 
they  establish  themselves  by  the  sense  of  the  letter  of 
the  Word,  where  such  things  are  declared,  not  knowing 
that  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word,  by  which  the  sense 
of  the  letter  is  made  clear,  is  wholly  different ;  and 
consequently  that  the  genuine  doctrine  of  the  church, 
which  is  from  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word,  teaches 
otherwise,  namely,  that  God  never  turns  away  His 
face  from  man,  and  never  casts  man  away  from  Him- 
self, that  He  casts  no  one  into  hell  and  is  angry  with 
no  one. 

Every  one,  moreover,  whose  mind  is  enlightened 
perceives  this  to  be  true  when  he  reads  the  Word,  from 
the  simple  truth  that  God  is  good  itself,  love  itself,  and 
mercy  itself ;  and  that  good  itself  cannot  do  evil  to 
any  one,  and  love  itself  and  mercy  itself  cannot  cast 
man  away  from  itself,  because  this  is  contrary  to  the 
very  essence  of  mercy  and  love,  thus  contrary  to  the 
Divine  itself.  Therefore  those  who  think  from  an  en- 
lightened mind  clearly  perceive,  when  they  read  the 

[29] 


LIFE   AFTER   DEATH 

Word,  that  God  never  turns  Himself  away  from  man ; 
and  as  He  never  turns  Himself  away  from  him  He 
deals  with  him  from  goodness,  love,  and  mercy,  that  is, 
wills  good  to  him,  loves  him,  and  is  merciful  to  him 
(545). 


THE  LOVE  OF  SELF  AND  OF  THE  WORLD 

T  HAVE  been  told  from  heaven,  and  it  has  been 
•*•  proved  to  me  by  much  experience,  that  these  two 
loves,  the  love  of  self  and  the  love  of  the  world,  rule 
in  the  hells  and  constitute  the  hells;  as  love  to  the 
Lord  and  love  towards  the  neighbor  rule  in  the  heavens 
and  constitute  the  heavens;  also  that  the  two  loves 
that  are  the  loves  of  hell  and  the  two  loves  that  are 
the  loves  of  heaven  are  diametrically  opposite  to  each 
other  (554). 

At  first  I  wondered  how  love  of  self  and  love  of 
the  world  could  be  so  diabolical,  and  how  those  who 
are  in  these  loves  could  be  such  monsters  in  appear- 
ance ;  for  in  the  world  not  much  thought  is  given  to 
love  of  self,  but  only  to  that  elated  state  of  mind  in 
external  matters  which  is  called  haughtiness,  and  that 
alone,  being  so  apparent,  is  regarded  as  love  of  self 
(555). 

The  love  of  self  is  wishing  well  to  oneself  alone, 
and  to  others  only  for  the  sake  of  self,  even  to  the 
church,  one's  country,  or  any  human  society.  It  con- 
sists also  in  doing  good  to  all  these  solely  for  the  sake 
of  one's  own  reputation,  honor,  and  glory ;  and  unless 
these  are  seen  in  the  uses  he  performs  in  behalf  of 
others  he  says  in  his  heart,  How  does  it  concern  me? 

[30] 


LIFE   AFTER   DEATH 

Why  should  I  do  this?  What  shall  I  get  from  it? 
and  therefore  he  does  not  do  it.  Evidently,  then,  he 
who  is  in  the  love  of  self  does  not  love  the  church  or 
his  country  or  society,  nor  any  use,  but  himself  alone. 
His  delight  is  solely  the  delight  of  the  love  of  self ; 
and  as  the  delight  that  comes  forth  from  his  love  is 
what  constitutes  the  life  of  man,  his  life  is  a  life  of 
self ;  and  a  life  of  self  is  a  life  from  what  is  man's 
own,  and  what  is  man's  own,  regarded  in  itself,  is 
nothing  but  evil  (556). 

What  love  of  self  is  can  be  seen  by  comparing  it 
with  heavenly  love.  Heavenly  love  consists  in  loving 
uses  for  the  sake  of  uses,  or  goods  for  the  sake  of 
goods,  which  are  done  by  man  in  behalf  of  the  church, 
his  country,  human  society,  and  a  fellow-citizen;  for 
this  is  loving  God  and  loving  the  neighbor,  since  all 
uses  and  all  goods  are  from  God,  and  are  the  neighbor 
who  is  to  be  loved.  But  he  who  loves  these  for  the 
sake  of  himself  loves  them  merely  as  servants,  because 
they  are  serviceable  to  him ;  consequently  it  is  the  will 
of  one  who  is  in  self-love  that  the  church,  his  country, 
human  societies,  and  his  fellow-citizens,  should  serve 
him,  and  not  he  them  (557). 

In  respect  to  the  love  of  the  world:  it  is  a  love 
opposed  to  heavenly  love  in  a  less  degree  than  love  of 
self,  because  the  evils  hidden  within  it  are  lesser  evils. 
The  love  of  the  world  consists  in  one's  desiring  to 
secure  to  himself,  by  any  kind  of  artifice,  the  wealth 
of  others,  and  in  setting  his  heart  upon  riches,  and 
permitting  the  world  to  draw  him  and  lead  him  away 
from  spiritual  love,  which  is  love  towards  the  neigh- 
bor, and  thus  from  heaven  and  from  the  Divine.  But 
this  love  is  manifold.  There  is  a  love  of  wealth  for 
the  sake  of  being  exalted  to  honors,  when  these  alone 

[31] 


LIFE   AFTER   DEATH 

are  loved.  There  is  a  love  of  honors  and  dignities 
with  a  view  to  the  increase  of  wealth.  There  is  a  love 
of  wealth  for  the  sake  of  various  uses  that  give  de- 
light in  the  world.  There  is  a  love  of  wealth  merely 
for  the  sake  of  wealth,  which  is  a  miserly  love ;  and 
so  on.  The  end  for  the  sake  of  which  wealth  is 
sought  is  called  its  use  (565). 

Furthermore,  so  far  as  any  one  is  in  heavenly  love, 
which  consists  in  loving  uses  and  goods  being  moved  by 
delight  of  heart  when  doing  them  for  the  sake  of  the 
church,  country,  human  society,  and  one's  fellow- 
citizens,  he  is  so  far  led  by  the  Lord,  because  that  love 
is  the  love  in  which  the  Lord  is,  and  which  is  from 
Him.  But  so  far  as  any  one  is  in  love  of  self,  which 
consists  in  performing  uses  and  goods  for  the  sake  of 
himself,  so  far  he  is  led  by  himself ;  and  so  far  as  any 
one  is  led  by  himself  he  is  not  led  by  the  Lord.  And 
from  this  it  also  follows  that  so  far  as  any  one  loves 
himself  he  separates  himself  from  the  Divine,  thus 
also  from  heaven  (558). 

That  the  love  of  self  is  the  opposite  of  love  to  the 
neighbor  can  be  seen  from  the  origin  and  essence  of 
both.  The  love  of  the  neighbor  of  one  who  is  in  the 
love  of  self  begins  with  oneself,  for  he  claims  that 
every  one  is  neighbor  to  himself  ;  and  it  goes  forth  from 
him  as  its  centre  to  all  who  make  one  with  him,  di- 
minishing in  accordance  with  the  degree  of  their  con- 
junction with  him  by  love.  All  outside  of  this  circle 
are  regarded  as  of  no  account;  and  those  who  are 
opposed  to  those  in  the  circle  and  to  their  evils  are 
accounted  as  enemies,  whatever  their  character  may 
be,  however  wise,  upright,  honest,  or  just.  But  spir- 
itual love  to  the  neighbor  begins  with  the  Lord,  and 
goes  forth  from  Him  as  its  centre  to  all  who  are 

[32] 


LIFE   AFTER   DEATH 

conjoined  to  Him  by  love  and  faith,  going  forth  in 
accordance  with  the  quality  of  their  love  and  faith. 

Evidently,  then,  the  love  of  the  neighbor  that  has 
its  beginning  in  man  is  the  opposite  of  the  love  to  the 
neighbor  that  has  its  beginning  in  the  Lord  (558). 


IT  IS  THE  DIVINE  OF  THE  LORD  THAT 
MAKES    HEAVEN 

HpHE  angels  taken  collectively  are  called  heaven, 
•^  for  they  constitute  heaven;  and  yet  that  which 
makes  heaven  in  general  and  in  particular  is  the 
Divine  that  flows  forth  from  the  Lord  flowing  into 
the  angels  and-  being  received  by  them.  And  as  the 
Divine  that  goes  forth  from  the  Lord  is  the  good  of 
love  and  the  truth  of  faith,  the  angels  are  angels  and 
are  heaven  in  the  measure  in  which  they  become  re- 
cipients of  good  and  truth  from  the  Lord. 

Every  one  in  the  heavens  knows  and  believes  and 
even  perceives  that  he  wills  and  does  nothing  of  good 
from  himself,  and  that  he  thinks  and  believes  nothing 
of  truth  from  himself,  but  only  from  the  Divine,  thus 
from  the  Lord ;  also  that  the  good  from  himself  is  not 
good,  and  the  truth  from  himself  is  not  truth,  because 
these  have  in  them  no  life  from  the  Divine.  More- 
over, the  angels  of  the  inmost  heaven  clearly  perceive 
and  feel  the  influx,  and  the  more  of  it  they  receive 
the  more  they  seem  to  themselves  to  be  in  heaven, 
because  the  more  are  they  in  love  and  faith  and  in 
the,  light  of  intelligence  and  wisdom,  and  in  heavenly 
joy  therefrom;  and  since  all  these  go  forth  from  the 

[33] 


LIFE   AFTER   DEATH 

Divine  of  the  Lord,  and  in  these  the  angels  have  their 
heaven,  it  is  clear  that  it  is  the  Divine  of  the  Lord, 
and  not  the  angels  or  anything  properly  their  own 
that  makes  heaven. 

The  Lord  teaches  that  those  that  are  in  heaven  and 
in  the  church  are  in  the  Lord  and  the  Lord  is  in  them, 
when  He  says: 

"Abide  in  Me  and  I  in  you.  As  the  branch  cannot  bear  fruit 
of  itself  except  it  abide  in  the  vine,  so  neither  can  ye,  ex- 
cept ye  abide  in  Me.  I  am  the  Vine,  ye  are  the  branches. 
He  that  abideth  in  Me  and  I  in  him,  the  same  beareth 
much  fruit;  for  apart  from  Me  ye  can  do  nothing"  (John 
xv.  4,  5). 

From  all  this  it  can  now  be  seen  that  the  Lord 
dwells  in  the  angels  of  heaven  in  what  is  His  own, 
and  thus  that  the  Lord  is  the  all  in  all  things  of 
heaven;  and  this  for  the  reason  that  good  from  the 
Lord  is  the  Lord  in  angels,  for  what  is  from  the  Lord 
is  the  Lord ;  consequently  heaven  to  the  angels  is  good 
from  the  Lord,  and  not  anything  of  their  own  (7,  8, 
11,  12). 


IN  HEAVEN  THE  DIVINE  OF  THE  LORD  IS 

LOVE  TO  HIM  AND  CHARITY 

TOWARDS  THE  NEIGHBOR 

npHE  Divine  that  goes  forth  from  the  Lord  is  called 
•*•  in  heaven  Divine  truth,  for  a  reason  that  will 
presently  appear.  This  Divine  truth  flows  into  heaven 
from  the  Lord  from  His  Divine  love.  The  Divine 
love  and  the  Divine  truth  therefrom  are  related  to 

[34] 


LIFE   AFTER   DEATH 

each  other  as  the  fire  of  the  sun  and  the  light  there- 
from in  the  world,  love  resembling  the  fire  of  the  sun, 
and  truth  therefrom  light  from  the  sun.  Moreover, 
by  correspondence  fire  signifies  love,  and  light  truth 
going  forth  from  love. 

From  this  it  is  clear  what  the  Divine  truth  that  goes 
forth  from  the  Lord's  love  is — that  in  its  essence  it  is 
Divine  good  joined  to  Divine  truth,  and  being  so  con- 
joined it  vivifies  all  things  of  heaven;  just  as  in  the 
world  when  the  sun's  heat  is  joined  to  light  it  makes 
all  things  of  the  earth  fruitful,  which  takes  place  in 
spring  and  summer.  It  is  otherwise  when  the  heat 
and  light  are  not  joined,  that  is,  when  the  light  is  cold  ; 
then  all  things  become  torpid  and  lie  dead.  With  the 
angels  this  Divine  good,  which  is  compared  to  heat,  is 
the  good  of  love;  and  Divine  truth,  which  is  com- 
pared to  light,  is  that  through  which  and  out  of  which 
good  of  love  comes. 

The  Divine  in  heaven  which  makes  heaven  is  love, 
because  love  is  spiritual  conjunction.  It  conjoins  an- 
gels to  the  Lord  and  conjoins  them  to  one  another, 
so  conjoining  them  that  in  the  Lord's  sight  they  are 
all  one.  Moreover,  love  is  the  very  being  (esse)  of 
every  one's  life;  consequently  from  love  both  angels 
and  men  have  their  life.  Every  one  who  reflects  can 
know  that  the  inmost  vitality  of  man  is  from  love, 
since  he  grows  warm  from  the  presence  of  love  and 
cold  from  its  absence,  and  when  deprived  of  it  he 
dies.  But  it  is  to  be  remembered  that  the  quality  of 
his  love  is  what  determines  the  quality  of  each  one's 
life. 

In  heaven  there  are  two  distinct  loves,  love  to  the 
Lord  and  love  towards  the  neighbor,  in  the  inmost  or 
third  heaven  1ove  to  the  Lord,  in  the  second  or  middle 

[35] 


LIFE  AFTER  DEATH 

heaven  love  towards  the  neighbor.  They  both  go 
forth  from  the  Lord,  and  they  both  make  heaven. 
How  these  two  loves  are  distinct  and  how  they  are 
conjoined  is  seen  in  heaven  in  clear  light,  but  in  the 
world  only  obscurely.  In  heaven  loving  the  Lord 
does  not  mean  loving  Him  in  respect  to  His  person, 
but  it  means  loving  the  good  that  is  from  Him;  and 
to  love  good  is  to  will  and  do  it  from  love ;  and  to  love 
the  neighbor  does  not  mean  loving  a  companion  in 
respect  to  his  person,  but  loving  the  truth  that  is  from 
the  Word;  and  to  love  truth  is  to  will  and  do  it. 
This  makes  clear  that  these  two  loves  are  distinct  as 
good  and  truth  are  distinct,  and  that  they  are  con- 
joined as  good  is  conjoined  with  truth.  But  this  can 
scarcely  be  comprehended  by  men  unless  it  is  known 
what  love  is,  what  good  is,  and  what  the  neighbor  is 
(13,  14,  15). 

The  Divine  of  the  Lord  in  heaven  is  love,  for  the 
reason  that  love  is  receptive  of  all  things  of  heaven, 
such  as  peace,  intelligence,  wisdom,  and  happiness. 
For  love  is  receptive  of  each  and  all  things  that  are  in 
harmony  with  it ;  it  longs  for  them,  seeks  them,  and 
drinks  them  in  as  it  were  spontaneously,  for  it  desires 
unceasingly  to  be  enriched  and  perfected  by  them. 
This,  too,  man  well  knows,  for  with  him  love  searches 
as  it  were  the  stores  of  his  memory  and  draws  forth 
all  things  that  are  in  accord  with  itself,  collecting  and 
arranging  them  in  and  under  itself — in  itself  that  they 
may  be  its  own,  and  under  itself  that  they  may  be 
its  servants;  and  other  things  not  in  accord  with  it 
it  discards  and  expels. 

That  there  is  present  in  love  every  capacity  for 
receiving  truths  in  harmony  with  itself,  and  a  long- 
ing to  conjoin  them  to  itself,  has  been  made  clear  by 

[36] 


LIFE  AFTER  DEATH 

the  fact  that  some  who  were  simple-minded  in  the 
world  were  taken  up  into  heaven,  and  when  they  were 
with  the  angels  they  came  into  angelic  wisdom  and 
heavenly  blessedness,  and  for  the  reason  that  they 
had  loved  what  is  good  and  true  for  its  own  sake,  and 
had  implanted  it  in  their  life,  and  had  thereby  become 
capacities  for  receiving  heaven  with  all  that  is  ineffable 
there.  But  those  who  are  in  love  of  self  and  of  the 
world  have  no  capacity  for  receiving  what  is  good  and 
true;  they  loathe  and  reject  it,  and  at  its  first  touch 
and  entrance  they  flee  away  and  associate  themselves 
with  those  in  hell  who  are  in  loves  like  their  own. 

There  were  spirits  who  had  doubts  about  there 
being  such  capacities  in  heavenly  love,  and  who  were 
anxious  to  know  whether  it  were  true;  whereupon 
they  were  let  into  a  state  of  heavenly  love,  whatever 
opposed  being  for  the  time  removed,  and  were  brought 
forward  some  distance,  where  there  was  an  angelic 
heaven,  and  from  it  they  talked  with  me,  saying  that 
they  perceived  a  more  interior  happiness  than  they 
could  possibly  express  in  words,  and  they  lamented 
greatly  that  they  must  return  into  their  former  state. 
Others  were  taken  up  into  heaven ;  and  the  higher  or 
more  interiorly  they  were  exalted  the  more  of  intelli- 
gence and  wisdom  were  they  admitted  into,  such  as 
enabled  them  to  perceive  what  had  before  been  in- 
comprehensible to  them.  From  this  it  is  clear  that 
the  love  that  goes  forth  from  the  Lord  is  receptive 
of  heaven  and  all  things  therein. 

That  love  to  the  Lord  and  love  towards  the  neigh- 
bor include  in  themselves  all  Divine  truths  is  made 
evident  by  what  the  Lord  Himself  said  of  these  two 
loves : 

[37] 


LIFE   AFTER   DEATH 

"Thou  shalt  love  .  .  .  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart  and  with  all 
they  soul.  .  .  .  This  is  the  greatest  and  first  commandment. 
And  the  second  like  unto  it,  is,  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neigh- 
bor as  thyself.  On  these  two  commandments  hand  .  .  . 
the  law  and  the  prophets"  {Matt.  xxii.  37-40). 

"The  law  and  the  prophets"  are  the  whole  Word,  thus 
all  Divine  truth  (,18,  19). 


REPRESENTATIVES  AND  APPEARANCES 
IN    HEAVEN 

'TVHE  man  who  thinks  from  natural  light  alone  is 
•*•  unable  to  comprehend  that  there  is  any  thing  in 
heaven  like  what  is  in  the  world;  and  for  the  reason 
that  from  natural  light  he  has  previously  thought,  and 
established  himself  in  the  idea,  that  angels  are  nothing 
but  minds,  and  that  minds  are  like  ethereal  breaths, 
having  no  senses  like  those  of  men,  thus  no  eyes,  and 
if  no  eyes  no  objects  of  sight;  and  yet  an  angel  has 
every  sense  that  a  man  has,  and  far  more  exquisite 
senses ;  and  the  light  by  which  angels  see  is  far  brighter 
than  the  light  by  which  man  sees  (170). 

The  nature  of  the  objects  that  are  visible  to  angels 
in  heaven  cannot  be  described  in  a  few  words.  For 
the  most  part  they  are  like  things  on  earth,  but  in  form 
far  more  perfect,  and  in  number  more  abundant  (171). 

When  I  have  been  permitted  to  be  in  company  with 
angels,  the  things  about  me  appeared  precisely  the 
same  as  those  in  the  world;  and  so  plainly  that  I 
would  not  have  known  that  I  was  not  in  the  world 
and  in  a  king's  palace.  I  also  talked  with  the  angels 
as  man  with  man  (174). 

[38] 


LIFE   AFTER   DEATH 

To  show  what  the  things  are  that  appear  to  the 
angels  in  accordance  with  correspondences,  I  will  here 
mention  one  for  the  sake  of  illustration.  By  those  who 
are  intelligent  gardens  and  parks  full  of  trees  and 
flowers  of  every  kind  are  seen.  The  trees  are  planted 
in  a  most  beautiful  order  combined  to  form  arbors 
with  arched  approaches  and  encircling  walks,  all  more 
beautiful  than  words  can  describe.  There  the  intel- 
ligent walk  and  gather  flowers  and  weave  garlands 
with  which  they  adorn  little  children.  Moreover,  there 
are  kinds  of  trees  and  flowers  there  that  are  never 
seen  and  cannot  exist  on  earth  (176). 

Very  many  of  the  learned  from  the  Christian  world 
are  astonished  when  they  find  themselves  after  death 
in  a  body,  in  garments,  and  in  houses,  as  in  the  world. 
And  when  they  recall  what  they  have  thought  about 
the  life  after  death,  the  soul,  spirits,  and  heaven  and 
hell,  they  are  ashamed  and  confess  that  they  thought 
foolishly,  and  that  the  simple  in  faith  thought  much 
more  wisely  than  they  (313). 


THE   GARMENTS   WITH   WHICH   ANGELS 
APPEAR   CLOTHED 

OINCE  angels  are  men,  and  live  together  as  men  do 
^  on  the  earth,  they  have  garments  and  dwellings  and 
other  such  things,  with  the  difference,  however,  that 
as  they  are  in  a  more  perfect  state  all  things  with  them 
are  in  greater  perfection.  For  as  angelic  wisdom  sur- 
passes human  wisdom  to  such  a  degree  as  to  be  called 
ineffable,  so  is  it  with  all  things  that  are  perceived 
and  seen  by  angels,  inasmuch  as  all  things  perceived 
and  seen  by  them  correspond  to  their  wisdom  (177). 

[39] 


LIFE   AFTER   DEATH 

The  garments  with  which  angels  are  clothed,  like 
all  other  things  with  them,  correspond ;  and  they  have 
real  existence  because  they  correspond.  Their  gar- 
ments correspond  to  their  intelligence,  and  therefore 
every  one  in  the  heavens  appears  clothed  in  agreement 
with  his  intelligence;  and  as  one  is  more  intelligent 
than  another  so  the  garments  of  one  surpass  those  of 
another.  Some  of  the  most  intelligent  have  garments 
that  blaze  as  if  with  flame,  others  have  garments  that 
glisten  as  if  with  light;  the  less  intelligent  have  gar- 
ments that  are  glistening  white  or  white  without  the 
effulgence ;  and  the  still  less  intelligent  have  garments 
of  various  colors  (178). 

As  in  heaven  the  angels  are  clothed  with  garments, 
so  when  seen  in  the  world  they  have  appeared  clothed 
with  garments,  as  those  seen  by  the  prophets  and  those 
seen  at  the  Lord's  sepulchre, 

Whose  appearance  was  as  lightning,  and  their  garments  glisten- 
ing and  white  (Matt,  xxviii.  3;  Mark  xvi.  5;  Luke  xxiv. 
4;  John  xx.  12,  13), 

and  those  seen  in  heaven  by  John, 

Who  had  garments  of  fine  linen  and  white  (Apoc.  iv.  4;  xix. 
14)  (180). 

That  the  garments  of  angels  do  not  merely  appear 
as  garments,  but  are  real  garments,  is  evident  from 
the  fact  that  angels  both  see  them  and  feel  them,  that 
they  have  many  garments,  and  that  they  put  them  on 
and  put  them  off,  that  they  care  for  those  that  are  not 
in  use,  and  put  them  on  again  when  they  need  them. 
That  they  are  clothed  with  a  variety  of  garments  I 
have  seen  many  times.  When  I  asked  where  they  got 
their  garments,  they  said  from  the  Lord,  and  that  they 

[40] 


LIFE   AFTER   DEATH 

receive  them  as  gifts,  and  sometimes  they  are  clothed 
with  them  unconsciously.  They  said  also  that  their 
garments  are  changed  in  accordance  with  their-changes 
of  state,  that  in  the  first  and  second  state  their  gar- 
ments are  shining  and  glistening  white,  and  in  the 
third  and  fourth  state  a  little  less  bright  (181). 


THE  PLACES  OF  ABODE  AND  DWELLINGS 
OF   ANGELS 

A  S  there  are  societies  in  heaven  and  the  angels  live 
•**•  as  men  they  have  also  places  of  abode,  and  these 
differ  in  accordance  with  each  one's  state  of  life.  They 
are  magnificent  for  those  in  higher  dignity,  and  less 
magnificent  for  those  in  lower  condition.  I  have  fre- 
quently talked  with  angels  about  the  places  of  abode 
in  heaven,  saying  that  scarcely  any  one  will  believe 
at  the  present  day  that  they  have  places  of  abode  and 
dwellings;  some  because  they  do  not  see  them,  some 
because  they  do  not  know  that  angels  are  men,  and 
some  because  they  believe  that  the  angelic  heaven  is 
the  heaven  that  is  seen  with  their  eyes  around  them, 
and  as  this  appears  empty  and  they  suppose  that  angels 
are  ethereal  forms,  they  conclude  that  they  live  in 
ether.  Moreover,  they  do  not  comprehend  how  there 
can  be  such  things  in  the  spiritual  world  as  there  are 
in  the  natural  world,  because  they  know  nothing  about 
the  spiritual. 

The  angels  replied  that  they  are  aware  that  such 
ignorance  prevails  at  this  day  in  the  world.  .  .  .  They 
said  also  that  it  might  be  known  from  the  Word  that 
angels  are  men,  since  those  that  have  been  seen  have 

[41] 


LIFE   AFTER   DEATH 

been  seen  as  men;  and  the  Lord,  who  took  all  His 
Human  with  Him,  appeared  in  like  manner.  It  might 
be  known  also  that  as  angels  are  men  they  have  dwell- 
ings and  places  of  abode,  and  do  not  fly  about  in  air. 
.  .  .  For  every  one  has  a  general  idea  that  angels  are 
in  the  human  form,  and  have  homes  which  are  called 
the  mansions  of  heaven,  which  surpass  in  magnificence 
earthly  dwellings  (183). 

But  it  is  better  to  present  the  evidence  of  experience. 
Whenever  I  have  talked  with  angels  face  to  face,  I 
have  been  with  them  in  their  abodes.  These  abodes 
are  precisely  like  abodes  on  the  earth  which  we  call 
houses,  but  more  beautiful.  In  them  there  are  cham- 
bers, parlors,  and  bedrooms  in  great  number ;  there  are 
also  courts,  and  there  are  gardens  and  flower-beds  and 
lawns  round  about.  Where  they  live  together  their 
houses  are  near  each  other,  arranged  one  next  to  the 
other  in  the  form  of  a  city,  with  avenues,  streets,  and 
public  squares,  exactly  like  cities  on  the  earth.  I  have 
been  permitted  to  pass  through  them,  looking  about  on 
every  side,  and  sometimes  entering  the  house  (184). 

I  have  seen  palaces  in  heaven  of  such  magnificence 
as  cannot  be  described.  Above  they  glittered  as  if 
made  of  pure  gold,  and  below  as  if  made  of  precious 
stones,  some  more  splendid  than  others.  It  was  the 
same  within.  Both  words  and  knowledge  are  inade- 
quate to  describe  the  decorations  that  adorned  the 
rooms.  On  the  side  looking  to  the  south  there  were 
parks,  where,  too,  every  thing  shone,  in  some  places 
the  leaves  glistening  as  if  made  of  silver,  and  fruit  as 
if  made  of  gold ;  while  the  flowers  in  their  beds  formed 
rainbows  with  their  colors.  Beyond  the  borders,  where 
the  view  terminated,  were  seen  other  palaces  (185). 

The  houses  in  which  angels  dwell  are  not  erected, 
[42] 


LIFE   AFTER   DEATH 

as  houses  in  the  world  are,  but  are  given  to  them 
gratuitously  by  the  Lord,  to  every  one  in  accordance 
with  his  perception  of  good  and  truth.  .  .  .  Every 
thing  whatsoever  that  the  angels  possess  they  hold  as 
received  from  the  Lord;  and  every  thing  they  have 
need  of  is  given  them  (190). 


THE  SPEECH  OF  ANGELS. 

ANGELS  talk  with  each  other  just  as  men  do  in  the 
world,  and  on  various  subjects,  as  on  domestic 
matters,  and  on  matters  of  civil,  moral,  and  spiritual 
life.  And  there  is  no  difference  except  that  their  talk 
is  more  intelligent  than  that  of  men,  because  it  is 
from  more  interior  thought.  I  have  been  permitted  to 
associate  with  them  frequently,  and  to  talk  with  them 
as  friend  with  friend,  and  sometimes  as  stranger  with 
stranger;  and  as  I  was  then  in  a  state  like  theirs  I 
knew  no  otherwise  than  that  I  was  talking  with  men 
on  the  earth. 

Angelic  speech,  the  same  as  human  speech,  has  dis- 
tinct words;  it  is  also  audibly  uttered  and  heard;  for 
angels,  like  men,  have  mouth,  tongue,  and  ears,  and 
an  atmosphere  in  which  the  sound  of  their  speech  is 
articulated,  although  it  is  a  spiritual  atmosphere 
adapted  to  angels,  who  are  spiritual.  In  this  atmo- 
sphere angels  breathe  and  utter  words  by  means  of 
their  breath,  as  men  do  in  their  atmosphere. 

In  the  entire  heaven  all  have  the  same  language,  and 
they  all  understand  one  another,  to  whatever  society 
near  or  remote,  they  belong.  Language  there  is  not 
learned  but  is  instinctive  with  every  one,  for  it  flows 

[43] 


LIFE   AFTER   DEATH 

from  their  very  affection  and  thought,  the  tones  of 
their  speech  corresponding  to  their  affections,  and  the 
vocal  articulations  which  are  words  corresponding  to 
the  ideas  of  thought  that  spring  from  the  affections; 
and  because  of  this  correspondence  the  speech  itself 
is  spiritual,  for  it  is  affection  sounding  and  thought 
speaking  (234-235). 


DIVINE  WORSHIP  IN   HEAVEN 

DIVINE  worship  in  the  heavens  is  not  unlike  in 
externals  Divine  worship  on  the  earth,  but  in 
internals  it  is  different.  In  the  heavens,  as  on  the 
earth,  there  are  doctrines,  preachings,  and  church  edi- 
fices. In  essentials  the  doctrines  there  are  everywhere 
the  same ;  but  in  the  higher  heavens  they  contain  more 
interior  wisdom  than  in  the  lower.  The  preachings  are 
in  harmony  with  the  doctrines;  and  as  they  have 
houses  and  palaces  (n.  183-190),  so  they  have  church 
edifices,  in  which  there  is  preaching.  Such  things  exist 
in  heaven  because  the  angels  are  being  perfected  con- 
tinually in  wisdom  and  love.  For  they  possess,  as 
men  do,  understanding  and  will ;  and  both  their  un- 
derstanding and  their  will  are  capable  of  being  con- 
tinually perfected,  the  understanding  by  means  of 
truths  of  intelligence,  and  the  will  by  means  of  the 
goods  of  love  (221). 

But  essential  Divine  worship  in  the  heavens  does 
not  consist  in  going  to  church  and  hearing  preaching, 
but  in  a  life  of  love,  charity,  and  faith,  in  accordance 
with  doctrine;  preachings  in  churches  serve  solely  as 
means  of  instruction  in  matters  of  life.  I  have  talked 

[44] 


LIFE   AFTER   DEATH 

with  angels  on  this  subject,  and  have  told  them  that 
it  is  believed  in  the  world  that  Divine  worship  consists 
solely  in  attending  church,  listening  to  the  preaching, 
observing  the  sacrament  of  the  Supper  three  or  four 
times  a  year,  and  performing  other  acts  of  worship 
prescribed  by  the  church ;  also  devoting  special  times 
to  prayers,  and  at  such  times  behaving  devoutly.  The 
angels  said  that  these  are  outward  acts  that  ought  to 
be  done,  but  are  of  no  avail  unless  there  is  an  internal 
from  which  they  proceed,  which  is  a  life  in  harmony 
with  the  precepts  that  doctrine  teaches  (222). 


THE  EMPLOYMENTS  OF  ANGELS  IN 
HEAVEN 

TT  is  impossible  to  enumerate  the  employments  in 
•*•  the  heavens,  still  less  to  describe  them  in  detail, 
but  something  may  be  said  about  them  in  a  general 
way;  for  they  are  numberless.  .  .  .  Every  one  there 
performs  a  use,  for  the  Lord's  kingdom  is  a  kingdom 
of  uses  (387). 

In  the  heavens  as  on  earth  there  are  many  forms 
of  service,  for  there  are  ecclesiastical  affairs,  there  are 
civil  affairs,  and  there  are  domestic  affairs.  Ecclesi- 
astical affairs  are  referred  to  in  what  has  been  said 
and  shown  above,  where  Divine  worship  is  treated  of ; 
civil  affairs  where  governments  in  heaven  are  treated 
of,  and  domestic  affairs  where  the  dwellings  and  homes 
of  angels  are  treated  of:  all  of  which  show  that  in 
every  heavenly  society  there  are  many  employments 
and  services  (388). 

Those  are  concerned  with  ecclesiastical  affairs  in 
[45] 


LIFE  AFTER   DEATH 

heaven  who  in  the  world  loved  the  Word  and  eagerly- 
sought  in  it  for  truths,  not  with  honor  or  gain  as  an 
end,  but  uses  of  life  both  for  themselves  and  for  others. 
These  in  heaven  are  in  enlightenment  and  the  light  of 
wisdom  in  the  measure  of  their  love  and  desire  for 
use;  and  this  wisdom  they  receive  from  the  Word  in 
heaven,  which  is  not  a  natural  Word,  as  it  is  in  the 
world,  but  a  spiritual  Word  (see  above,  n.  259). 
These  minister  in  the  preaching  office ;  and  in  accord- 
ance with  Divine  order  those  are  in  higher  positions 
who  from  enlightenment  excel  others  in  wisdom. 

Those  are  concerned  with  civil  affairs  who  in  the 
world  loved  their  country,  and  loved  its  general  good 
more  than  their  own,  and  did  what  is  just  and  right 
from  a  love  for  what  is  just  and  right.  So  far  as 
these  from  the  eagerness  of  love  have  investigated  the 
laws  of  justice  and  have  thereby  become  intelligent, 
they  have  the  ability  to  perform  such  functions  in 
heaven. 

Furthermore,  there  are  in  heaven  more  functions 
and  services  and  occupations  than  can  be  enumerated ; 
while  in  the  world  there  are  few  in  comparison.  But 
however  many  there  may  be  that  are  so  employed, 
they  are  all  in  the  delight  of  their  work  and  labor 
from  a  love  of  use,  and  no  one  from  a  love  of  self  or 
of  gain ;  and  as  all  the  necessaries  of  life  are  furnished 
them  gratuitously  they  have  no  love  of  gain  for  the 
sake  of  a  living.  They  are  housed  gratuitously,  clothed 
gratuitously,  and  fed  gratuitously.  Evidently,  then, 
those  that  have  loved  themselves  and  the  world  more 
than  use  have  no  lot  in  heaven ;  for  his  love  or  affection 
remains  with  every  one  after  his  life  in  the  world 
(393). 

In  heaven  every  one  comes  into  his  own  occupation 

[46] 


LIFE   AFTER   DEATH 

in  accordance  with  correspondence,  and  the  corre- 
spondence is  not  with  the  occupation  but  with  the  use 
of  each  occupation;  for  there  is  a  correspondence  of 
every  thing.  He  that  in  heaven  comes  into  the  em- 
ployment or  occupation  corresponding  to  his  use  is  in 
just  the  same  condition  of  life  as  when  he  was  in  the 
world;  since  what  is  spiritual  and  what  is  natural 
make  one  by  correspondences ;  yet  there  is  this  differ- 
ence, that  he  then  comes  into  an  interior  delight,  be- 
cause into  spiritual  life,  which  is  an  interior  life,  and 
therefore  more  receptive  of  heavenly  blessedness 
(394). 

THE  RICH  AND  THE  POOR  IN  HEAVEN 

*T*HERE  are  various  opinions  about  reception  into 
•*•  heaven.  Some  are  of  the  opinion  that  the  poor 
are  received  and  the  rich  are  not;  some  that  the  rich 
and  the  poor  are  equally  received ;  some  that  the  rich 
can  be  received  only  by  giving  up  their  wealth  and 
becoming  like  the  poor;  and  proofs  are  found  in  the 
Word  for  all  of  these  opinions.  But  those  who  make 
a  distinction  in  regard  to  heaven  between  the  rich  and 
the  poor  do  not  understand  the  Word.  In  its  interiors 
the  Word  is  spiritual,  but  in  the  letter  it  is  natural ; 
consequently  those  who  see  in  the  Word  only  its  literal 
sense,  and  not  any  spiritual  sense,  err  in  many  respects, 
especially  about  the  rich  and  the  poor;  for  example, 
that  it  is  as  difficult  for  the  rich  to  enter  into  heaven 
as  for  a  camel  to  pass  through  the  eye  of  a  needle; 
and  that  it  is  easy  for  the  poor  because  they  are  poor, 
since  it  is  said, 

"Blessed  are  the  poor,  ...  for  theirs  is  the  kingdom  oh  heaven" 
(Matt.  v.  3;  Luke  vi.  20,  21). 

[47] 


LIFE   AFTER   DEATH 

But  those  who  know  anything  of  the  spiritual  sense 
of  the  Word  think  otherwise ;  they  know  that  heaven 
is  for  all  who  live  a  life  of  faith  and  love,  whether 
rich  or  poor.  But  who  are  meant  in  the  Word  by  "the 
rich"  and  who  by  "the  poor"  will  be  told  in  what  fol- 
lows. From  much  conversation  and  intercourse  with 
angels  it  has  been  granted  me  to  know  with  certainty 
that  the  rich  enter  heaven  just  as  easily  as  the  poor, 
and  that  no  man  is  shut  out  of  heaven  on  account  of 
his  wealth,  or  received  into  heaven  on  account  of  his 
poverty.  Both  the  rich  and  the  poor  are  in  heaven 
(357). 

It  should  be  said  to  begin  with  that  a  man  may  ac- 
quire riches  and  accumulate  wealth  as  far  as  oppor- 
tunity is  given,  if  it  is  not  done  by  craft  or  fraud; 
that  he  may  enjoy  the  delicacies  of  food  and  drink 
if  he  does  not  place  his  life  therein ;  that  he  may  have 
a  palatial  dwelling  in  accord  with  his  condition,  have 
intercourse  with  others  in  like  condition,  frequent 
places  of  amusement,  talk  about  the  affairs  of  the 
world,  and  in  a  word,  he  may  live  outwardly  pre- 
cisely like  a  man  of  the  world ;  and  all  this  will  be  no 
obstacle  to  his  entering  heaven,  provided  that  inwardly 
in  himself  he  thinks  about  God  as  he  ought,  and  acts 
sincerely  and  justly  in  respect  to  his  neighbor. 

All  this  shows  that  man's  external  accomplishes 
nothing,  but  only  his  internal,  which  is  the  source  of 
the  external.  For  example:  If  a  man  acts  honestly 
and  refrains  from  fraud  solely  because  he  fears  the 
laws  and  the  loss  of  reputation  and  thereby  of  honor 
or  gain,  and  if  that  fear  did  not  restrain  him  would 
defraud  others  whenever  he  could ;  although  such  a 
man's  deeds  outwardly  appear  honest,  his  thought  and 
will  are  fraud ;  and  because  he  is  inwardly  dishonest 

[48] 


LIFE   AFTER   DEATH 

and  fraudulent  he  has  hell  in  himself.  But  he  who 
acts  honestly  and  refrains  from  fraud  because  it  is 
against  God  and  against  his  neighbor  would  have  no 
wish  to  defraud  another  if  he  could;  his  thought  and 
will  are  conscience,  and  he  has  heaven  in  himself. 
The  deeds  of  these  two  appear  alike  in  outward  form, 
but  inwardly  they  are  wholly  unlike  (358). 

Since  a  man  can  live  o'utwardly  as  others  do,  can 
grow  rich,  keep  a  plentiful  table,  dwell  in  an  elegant 
house  and  wear  fine  clothing  according  to  his  condition 
and  function,  can  enjoy  delights  and  gratifications, 
and  engage  in  worldly  affairs  for  the  sake  of  his 
occupation  and  business  and  for  the  life  both  of  the 
mind  and  body,  provided  he  inwardly  acknowledges 
the  Divine  and  wishes  well  to  his  neighbor,  it  is  evi- 
dent that  to  enter  upon  the  way  to  heaven  is  not  so 
difficult  as  many  believe.  The  sole  difficulty  lies  in 
being  able  to  resist  the  love  of  self  and  the  world,  and 
to  prevent  their  becoming  dominant;  for  this  is  the 
source  of  all  evils.  That  this  is  not  so  difficult  as  is 
believed  is  meant  by  these  words  of  the  Lord, 

"Learn  of  Me,  for  I  am  meek  and  lowly  of  heart,  and  ye  shall 
find  rest  to  your  souls ;  for  My  yoke  is  easy  and  My  burden 
is  light"  (Matt.  xi.  29,  30). 

The  Lord's  yoke  is  easy  and  His  burden  light  because 
a  man  is  led  by  the  Lord  and  not  by  self  just  to  the 
extent  that  he  resists  the  evils  that  flow  forth  from 
love  of  self  and  of  the  world;  and  because  the  Lord 
then  resists  these  evils  in  man  and  removes  them 
(359). 

The  poor  come  into  heaven  not  on  account  of  their 
poverty  but  because  of  their  life.     Every  one's  life 
follows  him,  whether  he  be  rich  or  poor.    There  is  no 
[49] 


LIFE   AFTER   DEATH 

peculiar  mercy  for  one  in  preference  to  another;  he 
that  has  lived  well  is  received,  while  he  that  has  not 
lived  well  is  rejected.  Moreover,  poverty  leads  and 
draws  man  away  from  heaven  just  as  much  as  wealth 
does.  There  are  many  among  the  poor  who  are  not 
content  with  their  lot,  who  strive  after  many  things, 
and  believe  riches  to  be  blessings ;  and  when  they  do 
not  gain  them  are  much  provoked  and  harbor  ill 
thoughts  about  the  Divine  providence ;  they  also  envy 
others  the  good  things  they  possess,  and  are  as  ready  as 
any  one  to  defraud  others  whenever  they  have  oppor- 
tunity, and  to  indulge  in  filthy  pleasures.  But  this 
is  not  true  of  the  poor  who  are  content  with  their 
lot,  and  are  careful  and  diligent  in  their  work,  who 
love  labor  better  than  idleness,  and  act  sincerely  and 
faithfully,  and  at  the  same  time  live  a  Christian  life 
(364).  ' 

All  this  makes  clear  that  the  rich  and  the  poor  alike 
come  into  heaven,  the  one  as  easily  as  the  other.  The 
belief  that  the  poor  enter  heaven  easily  and  the  rich 
with  difficulty  comes  from  a  wrong  understanding  of 
the  Word  where  the  rich  and  the  poor  are  mentioned. 
In  the  Word  those  that  have  an  abundance  of  knowl- 
edges of  good  and  truth,  thus  who  are  within  the 
church  where  the  Word  is,  are  meant  in  the  spiritual 
sense  by  the  "rich ;"  while  those  who  lack  these  knowl- 
edges, and  yet  desire  them,  thus  who  are  outside  of 
the  church  and  where  there  is  no  Word,  are  meant  by 
the  "poor"  (365). 


[SO] 


LIFE   AFTER   DEATH 


THE  WISE  AND  THE  SIMPLE  IN  HEAVEN 

T  T  is  believed  that  in  heaven  the  wise  will  have  more 
-*:  glory  and  eminence  than  the  simple,  because  it  is 
said  in  Daniel, 

"They  that  are  intelligent  shall  shine  as  with  the  brightness  of 
the  firmament,  and  they  that  turn  many  to  righteousness  as 
the  stars  for  ever  and  ever"  (xii.  3). 

But  few  know  who  are  meant  by  the  "intelligent"  and 
by  those  that  "turn  many  to  righteousness."  The  com- 
mon belief  is  that  they  are  such  as  are  called  the 
accomplished  and  learned,  especially  such  as  have 
taught  in  the  church  and  have  surpassed  others  in 
acquirements  and  in  preaching,  and  still  more  such 
among  them  as  have  converted  many  to  the  faith.  In 
the  world  all  such  are  regarded  as  the  intelligent; 
nevertheless  such  are  not  the  intelligent  in  heaven  that 
are  spoken  of  in  these  words,  unless  their  intelligence 
is  heavenly  intelligence.  What  this  is  will  now  be  told 
(346). 

Heavenly  intelligence  is  interior  intelligence,  aris- 
ing from  a  love  for  truth,  not  with  any  glory  in  the 
world  nor  any  glory  in  heaven  as  an  end,  but  with  the 
truth  itself  as  an  end,  by  which  they  are  inmostly 
affected  and  with  which  they  are  inmostly  delighted 
(347). 

All  who,  have  acquired  intelligence  and  wisdom  in 
the  world  are  received  in  heaven  and  become  angels, 
each  in  accord  with  the  quality  and  degree  of  his 
intelligence  and  wisdom.  For  whatever  a  man  acquires 
in  the  world  abides,  and  he  takes  it  with  him  after 
death  (349). 

[51] 


LIFE   AFTER   DEATH 

All  are  received  into  heaven  who  have  loved  truth 
and  good  for  the  sake  of  truth  and  good;  therefore 
those  that  have  loved  much  are  called  the  wise,  and 
those  that  have  loved  little  are  called  the  simple.  The 
wise  in  heaven  are  in  much  light,  the  simple  in  less 
light,  every  one  in  accord  with  the  degree  of  his  love 
for  good  and  truth  (350). 

It  is  believed  in  the  world  that  those  who  have 
much  knowledge,  whether  it  be  knowledge  of  the 
teachings  of  the  church  and  the  Word  or  of  the  sci- 
ences, have  a  more  interior  and  keen  vision  of  truth 
than  others,  that  is,  are  more  intelligent  and  wise; 
and  such  have  this  opinion  of  themselves.  But  what 
true  intelligence  and  wisdom  are,  and  what  spurious 
and  false  intelligence  and  wisdom  are,  shall  be  told 
in  what  now  follows. 

True  intelligence  and  wisdom  is  seeing  and  per- 
ceiving what  is  true  and  good  (351). 


THE  IMMENSITY  OF  HEAVEN 

immensity  of  the  heaven  of  the  Lord  is  shown 
also  by  this,  that  all  children,  whether  born  within 
the  church  or  out  of  it,  are  adopted  by  the  Lord  and 
become  angels ;  and  the  number  of  these  amounts  to  a 
fourth  or  fifth  part  of  the  whole  human  race  on  the 
earth.  That  every  child,  wherever  born,  whether 
within  the  church  or  out  of  it,  whether  of  pious  or 
impious  parents,  is  received  by  the  Lord  when  it  dies, 
and  is  brought  up  in  heaven,  and  is  taught  and  imbued 
with  affections  for  good,  and  through  these  with 
knowledges  of  truth,  in  accordance  with  Divine  order, 

[52] 


LIFE   AFTER   DEATH 

and  as  he  becomes  perfected  in  intelligence  and  wis- 
dom is  brought  into  heaven  and  becomes  an  angel, 
can  be  seen  above  (n.  329-345).  From  all  this  a  con- 
clusion may  be  formed  of  the  multitude  of  angels  of 
heaven,  derived  from  this  source  alone,  from  the  first 
creation  to  the  present  time  (416). 

Again,  how  immense  the  heaven  of  the  Lord  is  can 
be  seen  from  this,  that  all  the  planets  visible  to  the 
eye  in  our  solar  system  are  earths,  and  that  these, 
moreover,  in  the  whole  universe  are  innumerable,  and 
all  full  of  inhabitants.  These  have  been  treated  of 
particularly  in  a  small  work  on  those  earths  (417). 


LITTLE  CHILDREN  IN  HEAVEN 

T  T  is  a  belief  of  some  that  only  such  children  as  are 
•*•  born  within  the  church  go  to  heaven,  and  that 
those  born  out  of  the  church  do  not,  and  for  the  reason 
that  the  children  within  the  church  are  baptised  and 
by  baptism  are  initiated  into  the  faith  of  the  church. 
Such  are  not  aware  that  no  one  receives  heaven  or 
faith  through  baptism;  for  baptism  is  merely  for  a 
sign  and  memorial  that  man  should  be  regenerated, 
and  that  those  born  within  the  church  can  be  regen- 
erated because  the  Word  is  there,  and  in  the  Word 
are  the  Divine  truths  by  means  of  which  regeneration 
is  effected,  and  there  the  Lord  who  regenerates  is 
known.  Let  them  know  therefore  that  every  child, 
wherever  he  is  born,  whether  within  the  church  or 
outside  of  it,  whether  of  pious  parents  or  impious, 
is  received  when  he  dies  by  the  Lord  and  trained  up 
in  heaven,  and  taught  in  accordance  with  Divine  order. 

[53] 


LIFE   AFTER   DEATH 

and  imbued  with  affections  for  what  is  good,  and 
through  these  with  a  knowledge  of  what  is  true ;  and 
afterwards  as  he  is  perfected  in  intelligence  and  wis- 
dom is  introduced  into  heaven  and  becomes  an  angel. 
Every  one  who  thinks  from  reason  can  be  sure,  that 
all  are  born  for  heaven  and  no  one  for  hell,  and  if 
man  comes  into  hell  he  himself  is  culpable;  but  little 
children  cannot  be  held  culpable  (329). 

When  children  die  they  are  still  children  in  the 
other  life,  having  a  like  infantile  mind,  a  like  inno- 
cence in  ignorance,  and  a  like  tenderness  in  all  things. 
They  are  merely  in  the  rudiments  of  a  capacity  to 
become  angels,  for  children  are  not  angels,  but  be- 
come angels.  Every  one  passing  out  of  this  world 
enters  the  other  in  the  same  state  of  life,  a  little  child 
in  the  state  of  a  little  child,  a  boy  in  the  state  of  a  boy, 
a  youth,  a  man,  an  old  man,  in  the  state  of  a  youth, 
a  man,  or  an  old  man;  but  subsequently  each  one's 
state  is  changed.  The  state  of  little  children  sur- 
passes the  state  of  all  others  in  that  they  are  in  inno- 
cence, and  evil  has  not  yet  been  rooted  in  them  by 
actual  life  (330). 

The  state  of  children  in  the  other  life  far  surpasses 
their  state  in  the  world,  for  they  are  not  clothed  with 
an  earthly  body,  but  with  such  a  body  as  the  angels 
have.  The  earthly  body  is  in  itself  gross,  and  receives 
its  first  sensations  and  first  motions  not  from  the  in- 
ner or  spiritual  world,  but  from  the  outer  or  natural 
world ;  and  in  consequence  in  this  world  children  must 
be  taught  to  walk,  to  guide  their  motions,  and  to 
speak;  and  even  their  senses,  as  seeing  and  hearing, 
must  be  opened  by  use.  It  is  not  so  with  children  in 
the  other  life.  As  they  are  spirits  they  act  at  once  in 
accordance  with  their  interiors,  walking  without  prac- 

[54] 


LIFE  AFTER  DEATH 

tice,  and  also  talking,  but  at  first  from  general  affec- 
tions not  yet  distinguished  into  ideas  of  thought  (331). 

As  soon  as  little  children  are  resuscitated,  which 
takes  place  immediately  after  death,  they  are  taken 
into  heaven  and  confided  to  angel  women  who  in  the 
life  of  the  body  tenderly  loved  children  and  at  the 
same  time  loved  God.  Because  these  during  their 
life  in  the  world  loved  all  children  with  a  kind  of 
motherly  tenderness,  they  receive  them  as  their  own; 
while  the  children,  from  an  implanted  instinct,  love 
them  as  their  own  mothers  (332). 

How  children  are  taught  in  heaven  shall  be  briefly 
told.  From  their  nurses  they  learn  to  talk.  Their 
earliest  speech  is  simply  a  sound  of  affection;  this  by 
degrees  becomes  more  distinct  as  ideas  of  thought 
enter;  for  ideas  of  thought  from  affections  constitute 
all  angelic  speech.  Into  their  affections,  all  of  which 
proceed  from  innocence,  such  things  as  appear  before 
their  eyes  and  cause  delight  are  first  instilled ;  and  as 
these  things  are  from  a  spiritual  origin  the  things  of 
heaven  at  once  flow  into  them,  and  by  means  of  these 
heavenly  things  their  interiors  are  opened,  and  they 
are  thereby  daily  perfected.  When  this  first  age  is 
completed  they  are  transferred  to  another  heaven, 
where  they  are  taught  by  masters;  and  so  on  (334). 

Children  are  taught  chiefly  by  representatives  suited 
to  their  capacity.  These  are  beautiful  and  full  of 
wisdom  from  within,  beyond  all  belief.  In  this  way 
an  intelligence  that  derives  its  soul  from  good  is  grad- 
ually imparted  to  them.  Other  representations  are 
there  given,  whereby,  as  by  plays  adapted  to  the  minds 
of  children,  they  are  guided  into  knowledges  of  truth 
and  affections  for  good  (335). 

[55] 


LIFE   AFTER   DEATH 


HEAVENLY  JOY  AND  HAPPINESS. 

tJ  ARDLY  any  one  at  present  knows  what  heaven 
is  or  what  heavenly  joy  is.  Those  who  have 
given  any  thought  to  this  subject  have  had  so  general 
and  so  gross  an  idea  about  it  as  scarcely  to  amount  to 
anything  (395). 

All  delights  flow  forth  from  love,  for  that  which  a 
man  loves  he  feels  to  be  delightful.  No  one  has  any 
delight  from  any  other  source.  From  this  it  follows 
that  such  as  the  love  is  such  is  the  delight.  The  de- 
lights of  the  body  or  of  the  flesh  all  flow  forth  from 
the  love  of  self  and  love  of  the  world ;  consequently 
they  are  lusts  and  their  pleasures ;  while  the  delights 
of  the  soul  or  spirit  all  flow  forth  from  love  to  the 
Lord  and  love  towards  the  neighbor,  consequently 
they  are  affections  for  good  and  truth  and  interior 
satisfactions  (396). 

Heaven  in  itself  is  so  full  of  delights  that  viewed 
in  itself  it  is  nothing  else  than  blessedness  and  de- 
light; for  the  Divine  good  that  flows  forth  from  the 
Lord's  Divine  love  is  what  makes  heaven  in  general 
and  in  particular  with  every  one  there,  and  the  Divine 
love  is  a  longing  for  the  salvation  of  all  and  the  happi- 
ness of  all  (397). 

The  delights  of  heaven  are  both  ineffable  and  in- 
numerable; but  he  that  is  in  the  mere  delight  of  the 
body  or  of  the  flesh  can  have  no  knowledge  of  or 
belief  in  a  single  one  of  these  innumerable  delights 
(398). 

One  can  see  how  great  the  delight  of  heaven  must 
be  from  the  fact  that  it  is  the  delight  of  every  one  in 
heaven  to  share  his  delights  and  blessings  with  others ; 

[56] 


LIFE   AFTER   DEATH 

and  as  such  is  the  character  of  all  that  are  in  the 
heavens  it  is  clear  how  immeasurable  is  the  delight  of 
heaven.  It  has  been  shown  above  that  in  the  heavens 
there  is  a  sharing  of  all  with  each  and  of  each  with  all. 
Such  sharing  goes  forth  from  the  two  loves  of  heaven, 
which  are,  as  has  been  said,  love  to  the  Lord  and  love 
towards  the  neighbor;  and  to  share  their  delights  is 
the  very  nature  of  these  loves.  Love  to  the  Lord  is 
such  because  it  is  a  love  of  sharing  every  thing  it  has 
with  all,  since  it  wills  the  happiness  of  all.  There  is  a 
like  love  in  every  one  of  those  who  love  the  Lord, 
because  the  Lord  is  in  them ;  and  from  this  comes  the 
mutual  sharing  of  the  delights  of  angels  with  one 
another.  Love  towards  the  neighbor  is  the  same,  as 
will  be  seen  in  what  follows.  All  this  shows  that  it  is 
the  nature  of  these  loves  to  share  their  delights. 

It  is  otherwise  with  the  loves  of  self  and  of  the 
world.  The  love  of  self  takes  away  from  others  and 
robs  others  of  all  delight,  and  directs  it  to  itself,  for 
it  wishes  well  to  itself  alone;  while  the  love  of  the 
world  wishes  to  have  as  its  own  what  belongs  to  the 
neighbor.  Therefore  these  loves  are  destructive  of 
the  delights  of  others ;  or  if  there  is  any  disposition  to 
share,  it  is  for  the  sake  of  themselves  and  not  others 
(399). 

There  were  some  spirits  who  believed  from  an 
opinion  adopted  in  the  world  that  heavenly  happiness 
consists  in  an  idle  life  in  which  they  would  be  served 
by  others;  but  they  were  told  that  happiness  never 
consists  in  abstaining  from  work  and  getting  satis- 
faction therefrom  (403). 

There  were  some  spirits  who  thought  themselves 
better  instructed  than  others,  and  who  said  that  they 
had  believed  in  the  world  that  heavenly  joy  would 

[57] 


LIFE   AFTER   DEATH 

consist  solely  in  praising  and  giving  glory  to  God, 
and  that  this  would  be  their  active  life.  These  were 
told  that  praising  and  giving  glory  to  God  is  not  a 
proper  active  life,  also  that  it  is  His  will  instead  that 
they  should  perform  uses,  and  thus  the  good  works 
that  are  called  deeds  of  charity.  But  they  were  un- 
able to  associate  with  works  of  charity  any  idea  of 
heavenly  joy,  but  only  of  servitude,  although  the 
angels  testified  that  this  joy  is  most  free  because  it 
comes  from  an  interior  affection  and  is  conjoined 
with  ineffable  delight  (404). 

Scarcely  any  who  enter  the  other  life  know  what 
heavenly  blessedness  and  happiness  are,  because  they 
do  not  know  what  internal  joy  is,  deriving  their  per- 
ception of  it  solely  from  bodily  and  worldly  gladness 
and  joy;  and  in  consequence  what  they  are  ignorant 
of  they  suppose  to  be  nothing,  when  in  fact  bodily 
and  worldly  joys  are  of  no  account  in  comparison 
(412). 

But  that  I  might  learn  the  nature  of  heaven  and 
heavenly  joy  I  have  frequently  and  for  a  long  time 
been  permitted  by  the  Lord  to  perceive  the  delights 
of  heavenly  joys ;  but  while  I  have  been  enabled  to 
know  by  living  experience  what  they  are  I  am  not 
at  all  able  to  describe  them. 

I  perceived  also  that  the  joy  and  satisfaction  came 
as  from  the  heart.  ...  I  have  noticed  that  when  I 
wished  to  transfer  all  my  delight  to  another,  a  more 
interior  and  fuller  delight  continually  flowed  in  in  its 
place,  and  the  more  I  wished  this,  the  more  it  flowed 
in;  and  this,  I  perceived,  was  from  the  Lord  (413). 

Those  that  are  in  heaven  are  continually  advancing 
towards  the  spring  of  life,  with  a  greater  advance 
towards  a  more  joyful  and  happy  spring  the  more 

[58] 


LIFE   AFTER   DEATH 

thousands  of  years  they  live;  and  this  to  eternity, 
with  increase  according  to  the  growth  and  degree  of 
their  love,  charity,  and  faith.  Women  who  have 
died  old  and  worn  out  with  age,  if  they  have  lived 
in  faith  in  the  Lord,  in  charity  to  the  neighbor,  and 
in  happy  marriage  love  with  a  husband,  advance  with 
the  succession  of  years  more  and  more  into  the  flower 
of  youth  and  early  womanhood,  and  attain  to  a  beauty 
that  transcends  every  conception  of  any  such  beauty 
as  is  seen  on  the  earth.  ...  In  a  word,  growing  old 
in  heaven  is  growing  young.  Such  forms  or  such 
beauties  do  those  become  in  the  other  life  who  have 
lived  in  love  to  the  Lord  and  in  charity  towards  the 
neighbor  (414). 


MARRIAGES  IN  HEAVEN 

AS  heaven  is  from  the  human  race,  and  thus  angels 
are  of  both  sexes,  and  from  creation  woman  is 
for  man  and  man  is  for  woman,  thus  the  one  belongs 
to  the  other,  and  this  love  is  innate  in  both,  it  fol- 
lows that  there  are  marriages  in  heaven  as  well  as  on 
the  earth.  Therefore  what  marriages  in  heaven  are, 
and  how  they  differ  from  marriages  on  the  earth,  and 
wherein  they  are  like  them,  shall  now  be  told  (366). 

Marriage  in  heaven  is  a  conjunction  of  two  into  one 
mind.  It  must  first  be  explained  what  this  conjunction 
is.  The  mind  consists  of  two  parts,  one  called  the 
understanding  and  the  other  the  will.  When  these 
two  parts  act  as  a  one  they  are  called  one  mind.  In 
this  the  part  called  the  understanding  acts  as  the  hus- 
band, and  the  part  called  the  will  acts  as  the  wife. 

[59] 


LIFE  AFTER   DEATH 

When  this  conjunction,  which  belongs  to  man's  in- 
teriors, comes  into  the  lower  parts  pertaining  to  the 
body,  it  is  perceived  and  felt  as  love,  and  this  love  is 
marriage  love.  This  shows  that  marriage  love  has  its 
origin  in  the  conjunction  of  two  into  one  mind.  This 
in  heaven  is  called  cohabitation;  and  the  two  are  not 
called  two  but  one.  So  in  heaven  a  married  pair  is 
spoken  of,  not  as  two,  but  as  one  angel  (367). 

Moreover,  such  a  conjunction  of  husband  and  wife 
in  the  inmosts  of  their  minds  comes  from  their  very 
creation;  for  man  is  born  to  be  intellectual,  that  is, 
to  think  from  his  understanding,  while  woman  is  born 
to  be  affectional,  that  is,  to  think  from  her  will;  and 
this  is  evident  from  the  inclination  or  natural  dis- 
position of  each,  also  from  their  form ;  from  the  dis- 
position, in  that  man  acts  from  reason  and  woman 
from  affection;  from  the  form  in  that  man  has  a 
rougher  and  less  beautiful  face,  a  deeper  voice  and  a 
harder  body;  while  woman  has  a  smoother  and  more 
beautiful  face,  a  softer  voice,  and  a  more  tender  body. 
There  is  a  like  difference  between  understanding  and 
will,  or  between  thought  and  affection  (368). 

Every  one,  whether  man  or  woman,  possesses  un- 
derstanding and  will ;  but  with  the  man  the  under- 
standing predominates,  and  with  the  woman  the  will 
predominates,  and  the  character  is  determined  by  that 
which  predominates.  Yet  in  heavenly  marriages  there 
is  no  predominance ;  for  the  will  of  the  wife  is  also  the 
husband's  will,  and  the  understanding  of  the  husband 
is  also  the  wife's  understanding,  since  the  love  of  each 
is  to  will  and  to  think  like  the  other,  that  is,  mutually 
and  reciprocally.  Thus  are  they  conjoined  into  one. 
This  conjunction  is  actual  conjunction,  for  the  will 
of  the  wife  enters  into  the  understanding  of  the  hus- 

[60] 


LIFE   AFTER   DEATH 

band,  and  the  understanding  of  the  husband  into  the 
will  of  the  wife,  and  this  especially  when  they  look  into 
one  another's  faces;  for,  as  has  been  repeatedly  said 
above,  there  is  in  the  heavens  a  sharing  of  thoughts 
and  affections,  especially  with  husband  and  wife,  be- 
cause they  love  each  other.  This  makes  clear  what  the 
conjunction  of  minds  is  that  makes  marriage  and  pro- 
duces marriage  love  in  the  heavens,  namely,  that  one 
wishes  all  that  is  his  own  to  be  the  others,  and  this 
reciprocally  (369). 

I  have  been  told  by  the  angels  that  so  far  as  a  mar- 
ried pair  are  so  conjoined  they  are  in  marriage  love 
(370). 

The  love  of  dominion  of  one  over  the  other  entirely 
takes  away  marriage  love  and  its  heavenly  delight,  for 
as  has  been  said  above,  marriage  love  and  its  delight 
consists  in  the  will  of  the  one  being  that  of  the  other, 
mutually  and  reciprocally.  This  is  destroyed  by  love 
of  dominion  in  marriage,  since  he  that  domineers 
wishes  his  will  alone  to  be  in  the  other,  and  nothing  of 
the  other's  will  to  be  reciprocally  in  himself. 

When  one  wills  or  loves  what  the  other  wills  or 
loves  each  has  freedom,  since  all  freedom  is  from 
love;  but  where  there  is  dominion  no  one  has  free- 
dom ;  one  is  a  servant,  and  the  other  who  rules  is 
also  a  servant,  for  he  is  led  as  a  servant  by  the  lust 
of  ruling  (380). 

In  the  inmost  heaven  there  is  genuine  marriage  love 
because  the  angels  there  are  in  the  marriage  of  good 
and  truth,  and  also  in  innocence. 

It  is  said  that  the  angels  in  heaven  have  all  their 
beauty  from  marriage  love  (382). 

Marriages  in  heaven  differ  from  marriages  on  the 
earth  in  that  the  procreation  of  offspring  is  one  of  the 

[61] 


LIFE   AFTER   DEATH 

ends  of  marriages  on  the  earth,  but  not  of  marriages  in 
heaven,  since  in  heaven  the  procreation  of  good  and 
truth  takes  the  place  of  procreation  of  offspring. 

All  this  makes  clear  that  marriages  in  heaven  are 
not  like  marriages  on  earth.  In  heaven  marryings  are 
spiritual,  and  cannot  properly  be  called  marryings, 
but  conjunctions  of  minds  from  the  conjunction  of 
good  and  truth.  But  on  earth  there  are  marryings, 
because  these  are  not  of  the  spirit  alone  but  also  of 
the  flesh.  And  as  there  are  no  marryings  in  heaven, 
consorts  there  are  not  called  husband  and  wife ;  but 
from  the  angelic  idea  of  the  joining  of  two  minds  into 
one,  each  consort  designates  the  other  by  a  name 
signifying  one's  own,  mutually  and  reciprocally.  This 
shows  how  the  Lord's  words  in  regard  to  marry- 
ing and  giving  in  marriage  (Luke  xx.  35,  36),  are  to 
be  understood  (382). 


LIGHT    IN    HEAVEN 

npHAT  there  is  light  in  the  heavens  those  who  think 
•••  from  nature  alone  cannot  comprehend;  and  yet 
such  is  the  light  in  the  heavens  that  it  exceeds  by  many 
degrees  the  noonday  light  of  the  world.  That  light  I 
have  often  seen,  even  during  the  evening  and  night. 
At  first  I  wondered  when  I  heard  the  angels  say  that 
the  light  of  this  world  is  little  more  than  a  shadow  in 
comparison  with  the  light  of  heaven ;  but  having  seen 
it  I  can  testify  that  it  is  so.  The  brightness  and  splen- 
dor of  the  light  of  heaven  are  such  as  cannot  be  de- 
scribed. All  things  that  I  have  seen  in  the  heavens 
have  been  seen  in  that  light,  thus  more  clearly  and 
distinctly  than  things  in  this  world. 

[62] 


LIFE   AFTER   DEATH 

The  light  of  heaven  is  not  a  natural  light,  like  the 
light  of  the  world,  but  a  spiritual  light,  because  it  is 
from  the  Lord  as  a  sun,  and  that  sun  is  the  Divine 
Love  (126,  127). 


SPACE   IN    HEAVEN. 

ALL  things  in  heaven  appear  just  as  in  the  world, 
to  be  in  place  and  in  space  and  yet  the  angels  have 
no  notion  or  idea  of  place  and  space.  As  this  must 
needs  sound  like  a  paradox,  I  will  endeavor  to  make 
the  matter  clear,  as  it  is  of  great  importance. 

All  changes  of  place  in  the  spiritual  world  are  ef- 
fected by  changes  of  state  of  the  interiors,  which  means 
that  change  of  place  is  nothing  else  than  change  of 
state. 

For  the  same  reason  the  heavens  are  distinct  from 
each  other,  also  the  societies  of  each  heaven  and  the 
individuals  in  each  society ;  and  furthermore,  the  hells 
are  entirely  separated  from  the  heavens  because  they 
are  in  a  contrary  state. 

For  the  same  reason,  again,  any  one  in  the  spiritual 
world  who  intensely  desires  the  presence  of  another 
comes  into  his  presence,  for  he  thereby  sees  him  in 
thought,  and  puts  himself  in  his  state ;  and  conversely, 
one  is  separated  from  another  so  far  as  he  is  averse  to 
him.  And  since  all  aversion  comes  from  contrariety 
of  affection  and  from  disagreement  of  thought,  when- 
ever in  that  world  several  are  together  in  one  place 
they  are  visible  [to  one  another]  so  long  as  they  agree, 
but  vanish  as  soon  as  they  disagree. 

Again,  when  any  one  goes  from  one  place  to  an- 
other, whether  it  be  in  his  own  city,  or  in  courts  or 

[63] 


LIFE   AFTER   DEATH 

in  gardens,  or  to  others  out  of  his  own  society,  he 
arrives  more  quickly  when  he  eagerly  desires  it,  and 
less  quickly  when  he  does  not,  the  way  itself  being 
lengthened  and  shortened  in  accordance  with  the  de- 
sire, although  it  remains  the  same.  This  I  have  often 
seen  to  my  surprise.  All  this  again  makes  clear  how 
distances,  and  consequently  spaces,  are  wholly  in  ac- 
cord with  states  of  the  interiors  of  the  angels ;  and 
this  being  so,  no  notion  or  idea  of  space  can  enter  their 
thought,  although  there  are  spaces  with  them  equally 
as  in  the  world  (191-195). 


TT7HAT  has  been  said  in  this  work  about  heaven, 
*  *  the  world  of  spirits,  and  hell,  will  be  obscure  to 
those  who  have  no  interest  in  learning  about  spiritual 
truths,  but  will  be  clear  to  those  who  have  such  an  in- 
terest, and  especially  to  those  who  have  an  affection  for 
truth  for  the  sake  of  truth,  that  is,  who  love  truth  be- 
cause it  is  truth ;  for  whatever  is  then  loved  enters  with 
light  into  the  mind's  thought,  especially  truth  that  is 
loved,  because  all  truth  is  in  light  (603). 


[64] 


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